To evaluate the relative efficacy of plant sterols (PS) esterified with the fatty acids from fish oil (PS-FO), olive oil (PS-OO) and sunflower oil (PS-SO) on blood lipid and PS concentrations, 21 hyperlipidemic subjects were randomly assigned to each of five treatments for 28 days using a cross-over design. The results showed that: (1) in a comparison of olive oil (OO), fish oil (FO), PS-FO and PS-SO subgroup, PS-FO reduced triacylglycerols (TG) relative to PS-SO. Total cholesterol (T-C)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio was reduced with PS-FO compared with FO. Plasma PS levels were increased with PS-SO and PS-FO. (2) in a comparison of OO, PS-SO and PS-OO subgroup, PS-OO had a larger decrease in T-C than OO, while PS-SO and OO reduced T-C equally. Both PS-SO and PS-OO elevated plasma PS levels. Overall, PS-FO and PS-OO have a higher potential for decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease in hyperlipidemic subjects than PS-SO and OO supplementations.

Thirty recreationally active individuals, 16 males and 14 females, participated in the study to examine the effects of policosanol supplementation on reaction time, force production and the blood lipid profile. The subjects were matched based on height, weight. gender, current physical activity level and body fat percentage. The matched subjects where randomly assigned to either the policosanol or placebo group. Supplementation period lasted 8 weeks with reaction and decision time measurements taken at baseline, weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8. Force production was evaluated with the Cybex Dynamometer at speeds of 60, 120, 180 and 240 degrees/second at baseline, weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8. Blood was drawn and analyzed at baseline, weeks 4 and 8. A two way repeated analysis of variance was used to analyze differences between pre and post measurement at a significance level of p <_ .05. There were no significant changes in reaction ordecision time between groups. Force production significantly increased in both groups however, there was no significance between groups. The blood analysis demonstrated significant changes in total cholesterol and triglycerides. No differences were found in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or liver function measurements. It was concluded that further research in needed to examine the effects of reaction time in older individuals with possibly slower reaction times. The increase in force was due to a training effect and not from policosanol supplementation. However, future research with policosanol and strength needs to incorporate a training protocol. The trend observed with the blood parameters was concluded be a normalizing effect rather than a lowering effect. / School of Physical Education

Patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) usually exhibit a marked disturbance of lipid metabolism which is reflected in high levels of plasma total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and triglycerides, along with low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Elevated triglycerides are the major contributor to diabetic hyperlipidemia. These plasma lipid concentrations and the fatty acid composition of these lipids are clearly influenced by the type of diet consumed along with the proportion of dietary fatty acids. Therefore, it was the purpose of this investigation to examine the relationships between glycemic control, serum lipid levels of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides to the amounts and types of fats in the typical diets of NIDDM patients as compared to non-diabetic individuals. The dietary fats were also compared with the distribution of fatty acids found in their total lipids and free (in vivo) fatty acids. The relationship between dietary fat intake and serum total lipid levels along with total and free fatty acid distributions was the primary focus.This investigation found that NIDDM subjects have significantly greater triglyceride levels (200 ± 18.4 mg/dL) than non-diabetic controls (93 ± 13.2 mg/dL). Total and LDL cholesterol levels of the NIDDM group were elevated from the control group while HDL levels were depressed, but these differences were of nonsignificant proportions. The NIDDM group typically consumed significantly lowered amounts of teal, saturated, and monounsaturated dietary fatty acids (46.7 ± 7.1 grams, 114.0 ± 2.9 grams, and 16.8 ± 2.5 grams, respectively) compared to the control group (80.0 ± 10.9 grams, 26.7 ± 4.5 grams, and 30.2 ± 4.5 grams, respectively). Even so, the percentage of kilocalories from total fat in the NIDDM vs. the control group diets was not statistically different which may explain the lack of significance between groups with regard to distribution of serum fatty acids. On an individual basis, the types of fat that predominated in the diet were also found in a large percentage in the serum lipid distributions. Positive correlations between saturated fat intake and the blood serum stearic free fatty acid along with polyunsaturated fat intake and linoleic free fatty acid supported this observation. Other investigators (6,62) have reported that dietary intake does indeed contribute to the percentage of fatty acids distributed in the plasma lipids. To determine if a particular dietary fatty acid contributes more significantly to hyperlipidemia, the diet needs to be controlled.On an individualized basis, it was also noted that the diabetics with the lowest amount and percentage of fat in their diets, also had the lowest serum lipid levels. Besides diet, other influential factors which may have contributed to the lipid levels of these NIDDM patients are genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and the stage and progression of each individual's disease. Thus, due to the underlying metabolic impairments which are exacerbated by genetic and/or environmental influences, it is of vital importance to recognize how essential diet manipulation is with regards to lipid control in the treatment of NIDDM patients. / Department of Biology

Plant sterols are effective cholesterol-lowering agents; however, recent evidence suggests that this treatment may not be safe and beneficial in all individuals. This study determined whether high and low baseline circulating plasma campesterol and sitosterol are related to subsequent changes in plasma LDL-C, plant sterol or CRP levels, after accounting for plant sterol supplementation in hypercholesterolemic men (n=82). This trial was a 2-phase randomized cross-over design consisting of a controlled diet with and without a dose of 2.0 g/d of plant sterols over 4 weeks. There was no significant difference in plasma LDL-C, in the elevation of plasma plant sterol or in the changes of CRP levels for high and low groups, respectively. In view of these data, a supplement of 2.0 g/d of plant sterols should be viewed as a safe and beneficial cholesterol-lowering therapy for all individuals, with respect to their baseline plasma plant sterol levels.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1995. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisor: R. J. Moffatt, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Dept. of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 12, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 140 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the acute effects of strenuous exercise on the following blood constituents: total cholesterol (TC) 1 triglycerides (TG) 1 high density lipoproteins (HDL-C) 1 and low density lipoproteins (LDL-C). A single case study was performed during a 20 day testing period. Two century bicycle rides ( 100 miles) were used as the strenuous exercise bouts. Blood samples were drawn each day and immediately after each 100 mile ride. A pre-set exercise and diet regimen were followed every day of the 20 day procedure. A t-test upon TC 1 TG 1 HDL-C 1 and LDL-C was done to determine the statistical significance between two 100 mile cycling rides and the training days. The change upon TC was an increase of 11.1mg/dl and the change upon TG was an increase of 66.8mg/dl. The t-tests upon both of these variables were found to be significant at the <0.05 level. The change upon HDL-C was an increase of 3.2mg/dl but a ttest showed no statistical significance at the <0.05 level. The change upon LDL-C was a decrease of 2.6mg/dl but a t-test showed no statistical significance at the <0.05 level. Total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio (TC/HDL-C) did not change and a t-test showed no statistical significance at the <0.05 level. The ratio stayed at 2.5 for the duration of the study period. It was determined that an acute bout of exercise significantly changed TC and TG levels. Total cholesterol mean values changed from 106.4mg/dl ± 1.11 to 117.5mg/dl ± 3. 53. Mean TG values changed from 66. 2mg/dl ± 4. 08 to 113mg/dl ± 16.97. The acute bout of exercise did not significantly change HDL-C or LDL-C. possibilities are discussed.

No description available.

Multiple GWAS have identified SNPs in the 8q24 locus near the TRIB1 gene that significantly associate with plasma lipids and coronary artery disease. While subsequent studies have uncovered roles for hepatic and myeloid Trib1 in contributing to plasma lipids or atherosclerosis, eQTLs linking TRIB1 expression to the 8q24 GWAS SNPs have not been identified in any metabolic tissue, making the causal tissue for these GWAS associations unclear. The same 8q24 SNPs significantly associate with plasma adiponectin levels in humans as well, suggesting a role for TRIB1 in adipose tissue. To investigate the role of adipocyte-specific TRIB1 in plasma adiponectin and lipid regulation, we generated adipocyte-specific Trib1 knockout mice (Trib1_ASKO) and show that they have increased plasma adiponectin levels and decreased plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. We demonstrate that loss of Trib1 increases adipocyte production and secretion of adiponectin independent of the known TRIB1 function of regulating proteasomal degradation. RNA-seq analysis of adipocytes and livers from Trib1_ASKO mice suggests that alterations in adipocyte function underlie the plasma lipid changes observed in these mice. Secretomics and RNA-seq analysis reveal that Trib1_ASKO mice have increased production of LPL and decreased production of ANGPTL4 in adipose tissue, and fluorescent substrate assays confirm an increase in adipose tissue LPL activity, which likely underlies the observed triglyceride phenotype. To better understand the role of the 8q24 SNPs in regulation of TRIB1 expression, we also present a short study of putative enhancer regions identified through DNA accessibility and ChIP-seq enhancer marks in Huh-7 cells. CRISPRi and CRISPRa perturbation of these regions do not affect TRIB1 expression, but instead affect the expression of a lncRNA that overlaps with the GWAS signal. In summary, we demonstrate here a novel role for adipocyte TRIB1 in regulating plasma adiponectin, total cholesterol, and triglycerides in mice, confirming previous genetic associations observed in humans and providing a novel avenue through which TRIB1 regulates plasma lipids and coronary artery disease.