Research Article Hepatic Metabolic, Inflammatory, and Stress-Related Gene Expression in Growing Mice Consuming a Low Dose of Trans-10, cis-12-Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Copyright © 2012 Jing Li et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Dietary trans-10, cis-12-conjugated linoleic acid (trans-10, cis-12-CLA) fed to obese and nonobese rodents reduces body fat but leads to greater liver mass due to steatosis. The molecular mechanisms accompanying such responses remain largely unknown. Our study investigated the effects of chronic low trans-10, cis-12-CLA supplementation on hepatic expression of 39 genes related to metabolism, inflammation, and stress in growing mice. Feeding a diet supplemented with 0.3 % trans-10, cis-12-CLA (wt/wt basis) for 6 weeks increased liver mass and concentration of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) in liver, while adipose tissue mass decreased markedly. These changes were accompanied by greater expression of genes involved in LCFA uptake (Cd36), lipogenesis, and triacylglycerol synthesis (Acaca, Gpam, Scd, Pck1, Plin2). Expression of these genes was in line with upregulation of the lipogenic transcription factor Srebf1. Unlike previous studies where higher>0.50 % of the diet) doses of trans-10, cis-12-CLA were fed, we found greater expression of genes associated with VLDL assembly/secretion (Mttp, Cideb), ketogenesis (Hmgcs2, Bdh1), and LCFA oxidation (Acox1, Pdk4) in response to trans-10, cis-12-CLA. Dietary CLA, however, did not affect inflammation- and stress-relate