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Using a lipidomics approach for nutritional phenotyping in response to a test meal containing gamma-linolenic acid

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Abstract

Introduction

Plasma fatty acids are derived from preformed sources in the diet and de novo synthesis through the action of desaturase and elongase enzymes.

Objective

This study was designed to examine the elongation of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3n6) into dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA, 20:3n6) over an 8-h period using both targeted gas chromatography–flame ionization detection and untargeted liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry-based lipidomics utilizing the sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment-ion spectra (SWATH).

Methods

In a single blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design, seven healthy subjects consumed a test meal that consisted of GLA fat (borage oil) or a control fat (a mixture of corn, safflower, sunflower and extra-virgin light olive oils) on three separate test days for each test meal.

Results

Total plasma fatty acid concentrations and 366 unique lipid species were measured at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h in response to the test meals. Mean plasma 18:3n6 was 7-fold higher to the GLA challenge compared with baseline and the control meal. By 8 h, mean plasma 20:3n6 was significantly higher in response to the GLA test meal than baseline and the control group. Five of the seven subjects were “responders” in converting GLA into DGLA, but two subjects did not show this conversion. The conversion was independent of physical activity level.

Conclusion

Using polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism as an example, this study demonstrates inter-individual differences in enzymatic capacities to inform exact nutritional and metabolic phenotyping that could be used for precision medicine.

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Abbreviations

GLA:

Gamma-linolenic acid

GC–FID:

Gas chromatography–flame ionization detection

DGLA:

Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid

LC–MS:

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

PUFA:

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

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Acknowledgments

This project was made possible in part by support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) (P42ES004699), NIEHS R01 ES002710, NIEHS Superfund Research Program P42 ES011269; the CHARGE study (P01 ES11269); West Coast Metabolomics Center (NIH U24 DK097154) and instrument support (NIH 1S10RR031630-01), cardiovascular research (NIH P20 HL113452) and USDA Agricultural Research Service Projects 5306-51000-016-00D, 5306-51000-019-00D and 2032-51530-022-00D. We would like to thank Dr. Vincent Ziboh in loving memory for his inspiration and insight for this project. We would like to thank the staff at the USDA, ARS, Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Davis, CA, for clinical, laboratory and kitchen support. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. We thank the study participants for their time efforts to commit to the study procedures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institutes of Health West Coast Metabolomics Center, University of California Davis, Davis, 95616, CA, USA

    Tomas Cajka, John W. Newman & Oliver Fiehn

  2. Lipomics, A Division of Metabolon, 3410 Industrial Boulevard, Suite 103, West Sacramento, 85835, CA, USA

    Ryan Davis

  3. Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Kathryn J. Austin, J. Bruce German & Jennifer T. Smilowitz

  4. Foods for Health Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, 95616, CA, USA

    Kathryn J. Austin, J. Bruce German & Jennifer T. Smilowitz

  5. Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, 95616, CA, USA

    John W. Newman

  6. Obesity & Metabolism Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Davis, 95616, CA, USA

    John W. Newman

  7. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, PO Box 80203, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Oliver Fiehn

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  1. Tomas Cajka
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  2. Ryan Davis
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  3. Kathryn J. Austin
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  7. Jennifer T. Smilowitz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer T. Smilowitz.

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All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All participants provided written informed consent and the Institutional Review Board of University of California Davis approved all aspects of the project (Protocol # 200715069).

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Cajka, T., Davis, R., Austin, K.J. et al. Using a lipidomics approach for nutritional phenotyping in response to a test meal containing gamma-linolenic acid. Metabolomics 12, 127 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-016-1075-9

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