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Egg Consumption Modulates HDL Lipid Composition and Increases the Cholesterol-Accepting Capacity of Serum in Metabolic Syndrome

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Lipids

Abstract

We recently demonstrated that daily whole egg consumption during moderate carbohydrate restriction leads to greater increases in plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and improvements in HDL profiles in metabolic syndrome (MetS) when compared to intake of a yolk-free egg substitute. We further investigated the effects of this intervention on HDL composition and function, hypothesizing that the phospholipid species present in egg yolk modulate HDL lipid composition to increase the cholesterol-accepting capacity of subject serum. Men and women classified with MetS were randomly assigned to consume either three whole eggs (EGG, n = 20) per day or the equivalent amount of egg substitute (SUB, n = 17) throughout a 12-week moderate carbohydrate-restricted (25–30 % of energy) diet. Relative to other HDL lipids, HDL-cholesteryl ester content increased in all subjects, with greater increases in the SUB group. Further, HDL-triacylglycerol content was reduced in EGG group subjects with normal baseline plasma HDL-C, resulting in increases in HDL-CE/TAG ratios in both groups. Phospholipid analysis by mass spectrometry revealed that HDL became enriched in phosphatidylethanolamine in the EGG group, and that EGG group HDL better reflected sphingomyelin species present in the whole egg product at week 12 compared to baseline. Further, macrophage cholesterol efflux to EGG subject serum increased from baseline to week 12, whereas no changes were observed in the SUB group. Together, these findings suggest that daily egg consumption promotes favorable shifts in HDL lipid composition and function beyond increasing plasma HDL-C in MetS.

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Abbreviations

ABCA1:

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1

ABCG1:

ATP-binding cassette transporter G1

BCA:

Bicinchoninic acid

CAD:

Coronary artery disease

CE:

Cholesteryl ester

CerPCho:

Sphingomyelin

CETP:

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein

CVD:

Cardiovascular disease

DMPC:

Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine

EGG:

Whole egg group

FC:

Free cholesterol

HDL-C:

Plasma HDL-cholesterol

HDL-PL:

HDL-phospholipids

LCAT:

Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase

LysoPtdCho:

Lysophosphatidylcholine

NCEP ATP III:

National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III

MetS:

Metabolic syndrome

PL:

Phospholipid

PtdCho:

Phosphatidylcholine

PtdEtn:

Phosphatidylethanolamine

PtdIns:

Phosphatidylinositol

RCT:

Reverse cholesterol transport

SDS:

Sodium dodecyl sulfate

SR-BI:

Scavenger receptor class B I

SUB:

Egg yolk-free egg substitute group

TAG:

Triacylglycerol

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by the Egg Nutrition Center from funds received by MLF, and by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant No. 2012-67011-19914 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to CJA. Mass spectrometric analyses were performed in the Mass Spectrometer Facility of CCCWF School of Medicine and supported in part by NCI Center Grant 5P30CA12197. The Finnigan TSQ Quantum XLS GC/MS/MS was purchased with funds from NIH Shared Instrumentation Grant 1S10RR027940MS to MJT.

Conflict of Interest

MLF received funds from the Egg Nutrition Center to perform the study. CJA, CNB, JL, JB, DS, and MJT declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Author notes

  1. Christopher N. Blesso

    Present address: Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

  2. Jacqueline Barona

    Present address: School of Microbiology, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, 3624 Horsebarn Road Ext., Unit 4017, Storrs, CT, 06269-4017, USA

    Catherine J. Andersen, Christopher N. Blesso, Jiyoung Lee, Jacqueline Barona & Maria Luz Fernandez

  2. Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    Dharika Shah & Michael J. Thomas

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  1. Catherine J. Andersen
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  2. Christopher N. Blesso
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Correspondence to Maria Luz Fernandez.

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Andersen, C.J., Blesso, C.N., Lee, J. et al. Egg Consumption Modulates HDL Lipid Composition and Increases the Cholesterol-Accepting Capacity of Serum in Metabolic Syndrome. Lipids 48, 557–567 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-013-3780-8

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