Regulation of human stearoyl-CoA desaturase by omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids: Implications for the dietary management of elevated serum triglycerides

Results The SCD indexes C18:1/18:0 and C16:1/C16:0 were significantly ( P < .0001) correlated with serum TG with R 2 values of 0.71 and 0.58. The correlation was negatively associated with LA and positively associated with ALA. LA and EPA decreased SCD mRNA (EC 50 of 0.50 and 1.67 μM), whereas ALA did not. Likewise, LA and EPA decreased sterol response element binding protein-1c mRNA (EC 50 of 0.78 and 1.78 μM), but ALA did not. Similar results were observed for Elovl6. GW9662, a peroxisome proliferation activator receptor antagonist, did not obviate the effects of LA and EPA on SCD mRNA. Conclusions Diets enriched in LA, ALA, and by metabolic inference EPA, can regulate SCD activity at the level of transcription, a nutritional intervention that may be useful in the management of increased levels of serum triglycerides in cardiometabolic disorders. Keywords α-Linolenic acid (ALA) Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) Linoleic acid (LA) Metabolic syndrome Peroxisome proliferation activator receptor-α (PPAR-α) Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) Sterol response element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) Triglyceride (TG)