Profiling analysis of phospholipid fatty acids in serum as a complement to the comprehensive fatty acids method

GC/MS-Based Analysis of Fatty Acids and Amino Acids in H460 Cells Treated with Short-Chain and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: A Highly Sensitive Approach

The important metabolic characteristics of cancer cells include increased fat production and changes in amino acid metabolism. Based on the category of tumor, tumor cells are capable of synthesizing as much as 95% of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids through de novo synthesis, even in the presence of sufficient dietary lipid intake. This fat transformation starts early when cell cancerization and further spread along with the tumor cells grow more malignant. In addition, local catabolism of tryptophan, a common feature, can weaken anti-tumor immunity in primary tumor lesions and TDLN. Arginine catabolism is likewise related with the inhibition of anti-tumor immunity. Due to the crucial role of amino acids in tumor growth, increasing tryptophan along with arginine catabolism will promote tumor growth. However, immune cells also require amino acids to expand and distinguish into effector cells that can kill tumor cells. Therefore, it is necessary to have a deeper understanding of the metabolism of amino acids and fatty acids within cells. In this study, we established a method for the simultaneous analysis of 64 metabolites consisting of fatty acids and amino acids, covering biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, and fatty acid biosynthesis using the Agilent GC-MS system. We selected linoleic acid, linolenic acid, sodium acetate, and sodium butyrate to treat H460 cells to validate the current method. The differential metabolites observed in the four fatty acid groups in comparison with the control group indicate the metabolic effects of various fatty acids on H460 cells. These differential metabolites could potentially become biomarkers for the early diagnosis of lung cancer.

New research development on trans fatty acids in food: Biological effects, analytical methods, formation mechanism, and mitigating measures

The trans fatty acids (TFAs) in food are mainly generated from the ruminant animals (meat and milk) and processed oil or oil products. Excessive intake of TFAs (>1% of total energy intake) caused more than 500,000 deaths from coronary heart disease and increased heart disease risk by 21% and mortality by 28% around the world annually, which will be eliminated in industrially-produced trans fat from the global food supply by 2023. Herein, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the biological effects, analytical methods, formation and mitigation measures of TFAs in food. Especially, the research progress on the rapid, easy-to-use, and newly validated analytical methods, new formation mechanism, kinetics, possible mitigation mechanism, and new or improved mitigation measures are highlighted. We also offer perspectives on the challenges, opportunities, and new directions for future development, which will contribute to the advances in TFAs research.

Phase transfer of fatty acids into ultrasmall nanospheres for colorimetric detection of lipase and albumin

Colorimetric detection of fatty acids during biological interactions is extremely difficult since they are optically silent. Here, fatty acids are found to function as ion-exchangers in ultrasmall polymeric nanospheres to facilitate the protonation of chromoionophores, causing a vivid color change between red and blue. With an excellent detection limit of 1.8 μg mL^-1 for oleic acid, colorimetric assays for lipase and albumin are developed with quick response, high sensitivity, and low cost.

Serum Phospholipids Fatty Acids and Breast Cancer Risk by Pathological Subtype

This study evaluates whether serum phospholipids fatty acids (PL-FAs) and markers of their endogenous metabolism are associated with breast cancer (BC) subtypes. EpiGEICAM is a Spanish multicenter matched case-control study. A lifestyle and food frequency questionnaire was completed by 1017 BC cases and healthy women pairs. Serum PL-FA percentages were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Conditional and multinomial logistic regression models were used to quantify the association of PL-FA tertiles with BC risk, overall and by pathological subtype (luminal, HER2+ and triple negative). Stratified analyses by body mass index and menopausal status were also performed. Serum PL-FAs were measured in 795 (78%) pairs. Women with high serum levels of stearic acid (odds ratio (OR)_T3vsT1 = 0.44; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.30–0.66), linoleic acid (OR_T3vsT1 = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.49–0.90) and arachidonic to dihomo-γ-linolenic acid ratio (OR _T3vsT1 = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.48–0.84) presented lower BC risk. Participants with high concentrations of palmitoleic acid (OR_T3vsT1 = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.20–2.26), trans-ruminant palmitelaidic acid (OR_T3vsT1 = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.12–2.02), trans-industrial elaidic acid (OR_T3vsT1 = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.14–2.03), and high oleic to stearic acid ratio (OR_T3vsT1 = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.45–2.87) showed higher risk. These associations were similar in all BC pathological subtypes. Our results emphasize the importance of analyzing fatty acids individually, as well as the desaturase activity indices.

Serum Phospholipid Fatty Acids and Mammographic Density in Premenopausal Women

BACKGROUND

The role of fatty acids (FAs) on mammographic density (MD) is unclear, and available studies are based on self-reported dietary intake.

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed the association between specific serum phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and MD in premenopausal women.

METHODS

The cross-sectional study DDM-Madrid recruited 1392 Spanish premenopausal women, aged 39-50 y, who attended a screening in a breast radiodiagnosis unit of Madrid City Council. Women completed lifestyle questionnaires and FFQs. Percentage MD was estimated using a validated computer tool (DM-Scan), and serum PLFA percentages were measured by GC-MS. Multivariable linear regression models were used to quantify the association of FA tertiles with MD. Models were adjusted for age, education, BMI, waist circumference, parity, oral contraceptive use, previous breast biopsies, and energy intake, and they were corrected for multiple testing.

RESULTS

Women in the third tertile of SFAs showed significantly higher MD compared with those in the first tertile (βT3vsT1 = 7.53; 95% CI: 5.44, 9.61). Elevated relative concentrations of palmitoleic (βT3vsT1 = 3.12; 95% CI: 0.99, 5.25) and gondoic (βT3vsT1 = 2.67; 95% CI: 0.57, 4.77) MUFAs, as well as high relative concentrations of palmitelaidic (βT3vsT1 = 5.22; 95% CI: 3.15, 7.29) and elaidic (βT3vsT1 = 2.69; 95% CI: 0.59, 4.79) trans FAs, were also associated with higher MD. On the contrary, women with elevated relative concentrations of n-6 (ω-6) linoleic (βT3vsT1 = -5.49; 95% CI; -7.62, -3.35) and arachidonic (βT3vsT1 = -4.68; 95% CI: -6.79, -2.58) PUFAs showed lower MD. Regarding desaturation indices, an elevated palmitoleic to palmitic ratio and a low ratio of oleic to steric and arachidonic to dihomo-γ-linolenic acids were associated with higher MD.

CONCLUSIONS

Spanish premenopausal women with high relative concentrations of most SFAs and some MUFAs and trans FAs showed an increased MD, whereas those with high relative concentrations of some n-6 PUFAs presented lower density. These results, which should be confirmed in further studies, underscore the importance of analyzing serum FAs individually.