Fatty acid and positional selectivities of gastric lipase from premature human infants: in vitro studies

O/W Emulsion Stabilized by Bovine Milk Phospholipid-Protein Nanoemulsions: Preparation, Stability, and In Vitro Digestion

This study aims to prepare a stable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion with droplets of approximately 3-5 μm and a structured phospholipid (PL)-protein membrane that is similar to human milk fat globules. A nanoemulsion with an average droplet size of 200 nm prepared with bovine milk PL-protein, a milk fat globule membrane (MFGM)-rich ingredient, was used as an emulsifier to form an O/W emulsion with an average droplet size of 3.96 μm. Stable O/W emulsions were formed with a low concentration (1 wt %) of the MFGM-rich ingredient. The nanoemulsion was adsorbed at the oil-water interface. The O/W emulsions stored at 4 °C did not show structural damage upon 7 days of storage. The deformation or partial deformation of nanoemulsion droplets attached to lipid droplets may contribute to the physical stability of the emulsion. In vitro digestion of the O/W emulsion showed a low lipolysis degree in gastric digestion, and the final hydrolysis efficiency of the O/W emulsion was 62.74%, which is higher than that of traditional infant formula.

Digestion of human milk fat in healthy infants

Lipid digestion is critical for infant development, and yet, the interconnection between lipid digestion and the microbiota is largely understudied. This review focuses on digestion of the human milk fat globule and summarizes the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying this process in infants. We first discuss the partial hydrolysis of milk fat in the stomach, which leads to rearrangement of lipid droplets, creating a lipid-water interface necessary for duodenal lipolysis. In the first few months of life, secretion of pancreatic triglyceride lipase, phospholipase A₂, and bile salts is immature. The dominant lipases aiding fat digestion in the newborn small intestine are therefore pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 and bile salt-stimulated lipase from both the exocrine pancreas and milk. We summarize the interaction between ionic fatty acids and cations to form insoluble fatty acid soaps and how it is influenced by various factors, including cation availability, pH, and bile salt concentration, as well as saturation and chain length of fatty acids. We further argue that the formation of the soap complex does not contribute to lipid bioavailability. Next, the possible roles that the gut microbiota plays in lipid digestion and absorption are discussed. Finally, we provide a perspective on how the manufacturing process of infant formula and dairy products may alter the physical properties and structure of lipid droplets, thereby altering the rate of lipolysis.

Free fatty acid release from vegetable and bovine milk fat-based infant formulas and human milk during two-phase in vitro digestion

The profile of fatty acids released during in vitro digestion of vegetable and bovine milk fat-based infant formula differ.

Infant digestion physiology and the relevance of in vitro biochemical models to test infant formula lipid digestion

Lipids play an important role in the diet of preterm and term infants providing a key energy source and essential lipid components for development. While a lot is known about adult lipid digestion, our understanding of infant digestion physiology is still incomplete, the greatest gap being on the biochemistry of the small intestine, particularly the activity and relative importance of the various lipases active in the intestine. The literature has been reviewed to identify the characteristics of lipid digestion of preterm and term infants, but also to better understand the physiology of the infant gastrointestinal tract compared to adults that impacts the absorption of lipids. The main differences are a higher gastric pH, submicellar bile salt concentration, a far more important role of gastric lipases as well as differences at the level of the intestinal barrier. Importantly, the consequences of improper in vitro replication of gastric digestions conditions (pH and lipase specificity) are demonstrated using examples from the most recent of studies. It is true that some animal models could be adapted to study infant lipid digestion physiology, however the ethical relevance of such models is questionable, hence the development of accurate in vitro models is a must. In vitro models that combine up to date knowledge of digestion biochemistry with intestinal cells in culture are the best choice to replicate digestion and absorption in infant population, this would allow the adaptation of infant formula for a better digestion and absorption of dietary lipids by preterm and term infants.

The intramolecular position of docosahexaenoic acid in the triacylglycerol sources used for pediatric nutrition has a minimal effect on its metabolic use

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plays an important role in normal development of the brain and retina in the human. In utero, DHA is incorporated in the fetus, and its accretion continues throughout early postnatal life. Although human breast milk contains this fatty acid, several organizations recommend supplementing infant formulas with DHA for infants and premature infants. Traditionally, certain types of fish oil have been used for fortifying some infant formulas, but with the decline in world fisheries, the search for alternative sources of DHA continues. Among the viable ingredient sources of DHA is oil derived from single-cell organisms (marine microorganisms); however, these oil sources display different positional specificity of DHA in the glycerol lipids compared with that found in human breast milk lipids. In the latter, the DHA is mainly esterified in the central position of the glycerol backbone. Because of these differences in human milk and oils derived from single-cell organisms, recent research in biotechnology has focused on developing new structured triacylglycerols with an intramolecular structure resembling that found in human milk lipids. This research is justified by the potential differences in metabolism of DHA based on the hypothetical bioavailability and benefits in DHA found in human milk lipids. Presented herein is a review of the published research on the metabolism of DHA from different triacylglycerol sources including in vitro studies and animal studies. Despite small differences observed in digestion, the current data reveal a minimal effect on the parameters of development studied for the intramolecular position in which DHA is esterified.

Selective mobilization of fatty acids from adipose tissue triacylglycerols

Adipose tissue triacylglycerols represent the main storage of a wide spectrum of fatty acids differing by molecular structure. The release of individual fatty acids from adipose tissue is selective according to carbon chain length and unsaturation degree in vitro and in vivo in animal studies and also in humans. The mechanism of selective fatty acid mobilization from white fat cells is not known. Lipolysis is widely reported to work at a lipid-water interface where only small amounts of substrate are available. A preferential hydrolysis of a small triacylglycerol fraction enriched in certain triacylglycerol molecular species at the lipid-water interface and enzymological properties of hormone-sensitive lipase could explain the selective mobilization of fatty acids from fat cells. This selectivity could affect the individual fatty acid supply to tissues.

Dietary long-chain PUFA in the form of TAG or phospholipids influence lymph lipoprotein size and composition in piglets

Several sources of long-chain PUFA (LCP) are currently available for infant formula supplementation. These oils differ in their FA composition, the chemical form of the FA esters [TAG or phospholipids (PL)], and presence of other lipid components. These differences may affect LCP absorption, distribution, and metabolic fate after ingestion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different chemical forms of dietary LCP on the composition of lymph lipoproteins. Eighteen pigs (5 d old) were bottle-fed different diets for 2 wk: a control diet (C), a diet containing LCP as TAG from tuna and fungal oils (TF-TAG), or a diet containing LCP as PL from egg yolk (E-PL). We measured lipid and FA composition of lymph, main lymph fractions (TAG or PL), and the particle size of lymph lipoproteins. The average diameter of lymph lipoproteins was significantly lower in the E-PL group compared with the control and TF-TAG groups (C: 3902 +/- 384 A; TF-TAG: 3773 +/- 384 A; E-PL: 2370 +/- 185 A). Arachidonic acid and DHA contents in lymph and lymph-TAG were significantly higher in the TF-TAG group compared to the E-PL group (0.50 +/- 0.03 and 0.24 +/- 0.03 g/100 g vs. 0.29 +/- 0.04 and 0.12 +/- 0.03 g/100 g, respectively). The addition to the diet of LCP in the form of TAG or PL affected the size of intestinal lipoproteins and also led to a different distribution of these FA in lymph lipoproteins.

Feeding infant piglets formula with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids as triacylglycerols or phospholipids influences the distribution of these fatty acids in plasma lipoprotein fractions

Several sources of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) are currently available for infant formula supplementation. These oils differ in their fatty acid composition, the chemical form of the fatty acid esters [triacylglycerols (TG) or phospholipids (PL)] and presence of other lipid components. These differences may affect LCP absorption, distribution and metabolic fate after ingestion. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the influence of different chemical forms of dietary LCP on the composition of plasma, plasma lipoproteins, liver and jejunum in infant piglets. Thirty pigs (5 d old) were bottle-fed different diets for 4 wk: a control diet (C), a diet containing LCP as TG from tuna and fungal oils (TF-TG) or a diet containing LCP as PL from egg yolk (E-PL). We measured lipid and fatty acid composition of plasma and lipoproteins, as well as lipid composition of liver and intestinal mucosa. The arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids in HDL-PL were significantly higher in piglets fed the E-PL diet than in those fed the TF-TG diet. Opposite results were found in the LDL-PL diet. No significant differences were found between groups in TG or cholesterol concentrations of plasma or lipoproteins. Arachidonic acid in plasma PL and cholesteryl esters was significantly higher in the E-PL group than in the TF-TG group. The chemical form in which LCP esters are present in different dietary sources influences their distribution in plasma lipoproteins. This may be important for infant nutrition and suggests that not all LCP sources may be biologically equivalent.

Uptake and metabolism of structured triglyceride by Caco-2 cells: reversal of essential fatty acid deficiency

Structured lipids have been proposed as efficient vehicles for the supplementation of essential fatty acids (EFA) to patients with malabsorption. We investigated how a novel structured triglyceride (STG), containing purely octanoic acid in the sn-1/sn-3 and [14C]linoleic acid in the sn-2 positions, was incorporated into different lipid classes in Caco-2 cells. We also evaluated the contribution of gastric lipase in the uptake and metabolism of [14C]linoleic acid from the STG. We furthermore determined the potential of the STG to correct EFA deficiency induced in Caco-2 cells. The absorption of STG by Caco-2 cells was significantly greater compared with that of triolein. The addition of human gastric lipase significantly enhanced cellular uptake of the labeled substrate, reflecting the stereoselectivity of gastric lipase to hydrolyze medium chain FA. Analysis of the intracellular lipids synthesized revealed a predominance of phospholipids-monoglycerides. Most of the radioactivity in the lipoproteins isolated from Caco-2 cells was recovered in TG-rich lipoproteins (45%) and to a lesser extent in the high-density lipoprotein (36%) and low-density lipoprotein (17%) fractions. The administration of STG to Caco-2 cells rendered EFA deficient produced a marked increase of the cellular level of linoleic and arachidonic acids. This resulted in a lower ratio of 20:3(n-9) to 20:4(n-6), reflecting the correction of EFA deficiency in Caco-2 cells. Our data demonstrate that STG, in the presence of gastric lipase, have beneficial effects on lipid incorporation, lipoprotein production, and EFA status, utilizing Caco-2 cells as a model of EFA deficiency.

Studies of lipase-catalyzed esterification reactions of some acetylenic fatty acids

Esterification of five positional isomers of acetylenic fatty acids [viz. 9:1(2a), 11:1(10a), 18:1(6a), 18:1(9a) and 22:1(13a)] of different chain lengths with n-butanol in n-hexane in the presence of eight different lipases [Lipozyme IM 20 (Rhizomucor miehei), Lipolase 100T (R. miehei), Novozyme 435 (Candida antarctica), PPL (porcine pancreatic lipase), CCL (C. cylindracea), PS-D (Pseudomonas cepacia), Lipase A-12 (Aspergillus niger) and Lipase AY-30 (C. rugosa)] was studied. 2-Nonynoic acid was not esterified except when catalyzed by the lipase from C. antarctica (Novozyme 435) to give 42% butyl ester after 48 h. The lipases from A. niger (Lipase A-12) and C. rugosa (Lipase AY-30) showed poor biocatalytic behavior in the esterification of the acetylenic fatty acids studied. 10-Undecynoic acid gave the highest conversion rate of esterification with each kind of lipase used. 6-Octadecynoic acid showed a marked degree of resistance to esterification carried out in the presence of C. cylindracea (CCL), P. cepacia (PS-D), or porcine pancreatic (PPL) lipase but not significantly in the presence of the lipases of R. miehei (Lipozyme IM 20), R. miehei (Lipolase 100T), or Novozyme 435. 9-Octadecynoic acid and 13-docosynoic acid were not discriminated and were readily esterified by the remaining six lipases, but when compared to oleic acid the acetylenic fatty acids were comparatively much slower in conversion to the esters.

Investigation of the triacylglycerol composition of iceman's mummified tissue by high-temperature gas chromatography

The pattern of intact triacylglycerols of a skin sample from the 5300-year-old Iceman mummy (nicknamed Otzi) was resolved on a diphenyl-dimethylpolysiloxane stationary phase by high-temperature gas chromatography. Adipocere from a 64-year-old glacier mummy as well as recent human subcutaneous fat served as a comparison in this study. Qualitatively, the results for mummy samples were similar with well-preserved saturated, but decomposed unsaturated, triacylglycerols, the latter being predominant in subcutaneous fat. Excellent preservation of triacylglycerols with odd carbon numbers and branched acyl chains was observed. The results presented here shed new light on the process of mummification.

Determination of pregastric lipase specificity in young ruminants

The combined hydrolysis of a chiral triglyceride clearly defined on these three positions and of its racemic equivalent reveals all sorts of lipase specificities: regioselectivity, typoselectivity and stereospecificity. This article describes a study of the pregastric lipases of young ruminants (kid, calf, lamb), whose specificity is still somewhat ambiguous. The use of a chiral triglyceride in which position sn 1 was occupied by a short-chain fatty acid showed that these lipases had dual specificity, i.e. a combination of typoselectivity with respect to short-chain fatty acids and sn3 stereospecificity. A comparison between the performance of the lipase of young animals and the fatty acid composition and distribution in the mother's milk suggests that the degree of dual specificity in these enzymes is related to the characteristics of the mother's milk.

The lipids in human milk

The summary will be limited to the areas that should be intensively investigated. The first is: determination of fatty acid profiles using modern methods on a world wide basis. We have no more than five or six papers in which my criterion was applied, one from Canada and the remainder from Europe with some data from Africa. Obviously, milk cannot be used as the gold standard on this meager data base. The second area is analysis of TG structure. These analyses are difficult, but structure is one of the factors controlling digestion. Data on the effects of maternal diet on structure would be useful. The third area is the role of primary or derived milk lipids as microbicidal agents. The fourth area is examination of globule parameters, i.e. number, size, volume, surface, and how they are affected by diet. There are many others which may interest the reader.

The selective mobilization of fatty acids is not based on their positional distribution in white-fat-cell triacylglycerols

Fatty acids have been shown to be selectively mobilized from rat white fat-cells, whatever the dietary manipulations. For convenience, fatty acids have been classified as being highly, weakly and moderately mobilizable. The aim of this study was to examine whether the selective mobilization of fatty acids can be explained, even partly, by their positional distribution in adipose-tissue triacylglycerols (TAG) via the known specificity of hormone-sensitive lipase for the sn-1 and sn-3 positions. Adipose tissue was dietarily manipulated in order to obtain a wide spectrum of fatty acids, including large amounts of either very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFA) or very-long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids (VLC-MUFA). The determination of fatty acid distribution in adipose tissue TAG was based on random formation of 1,2-diacyl-rac-glycerols by Grignard degradation, followed by synthesis of phosphatidic acids and hydrolysis in the sn-2 position by phospholipase A2. Regardless of the fatty acid composition and location of fat depots, highly (e.g. 18:4n-3 and some of the VLC-PUFA) and weakly (e.g. VLC-MUFA) mobilizable fatty acids were located mainly in the outer (sn-1 and sn-3) positions of the glycerol moiety (79.5% and 92.5% on average, respectively). Other fatty acids, which are rather moderately mobilizable, were more randomly distributed. We conclude that the selective mobilization of white-fat-cell fatty acids is not based on their positional distribution in TAG.