Abstract
Trans-fatty acid (TFA) has been recognized as a risk factor for diseases such as dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease. However, the effects of serum TFA levels on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the TFA composition of plasma phospholipids in Japanese men to examine the relationship between TFA and NAFLD. In the NAFLD group, the plasma levels of linoelaidic acid (9t,12t-C18:2) were significantly higher than in the control group, while significantly lower index levels of delta 5 desaturase (D5D) , which catalyzes the conversion of dihomo-γ-linolenic acid to arachidonic acid, were observed. The level of linoelaidic acid showed a significant positive correlation with the serum levels of cytokeratin (CK) 18 M30 antigen, a parameter of apoptosis, and M65 antigen and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) , which are parameters of liver cell necrosis. Furthermore, linoelaidic acid was negatively correlated with the D5D index. These results suggest that increases in the plasma phospholipid TFA levels, especially linoelaidic acid, reflect changes in lipid metabolism followed by hepatic necrosis and apoptosis in NAFLD.
