Coconut oil enhances hepatic lipogenesis and lipid accretion in rats fed recommended- and high-fat diets

IF 0.3 Q4 NUTRITION & DIETETICS

CAHIERS DE NUTRITION ET DE DIETETIQUE Pub Date : 2026-08-01 Epub Date: 2026-09-24 DOI:10.1016/j.cnd.2026.08.039

Mariana Escobar, Daiana Roncaglia, Ana Clara Fariña, Claudio Bernal, Carolina Gerstner

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These alterations occurred without changes in body weight gain, adiposity, serum TAG and cholesterol, and increased enzyme and gene expression related to beta-oxidation. Under high-fat conditions, rats fed the C30M diet exacerbated the hepatic TAG accretion (24%), accompanied by increased expression of lipogenic genes (ACC, SREBP-1C, and FAS), enhanced estimated lipogenic activity, and higher levels of lipogenic FAs. In contrast, epididimal AT was decreased, whereas other nutritional parameters remained unchanged. Compared with S30, hepatic cholesterol and serum TAG levels were elevated in C30L and C30H, but not in C30M.</div></div><div>At the recommended dietary fat level, CO increased hepatic TAG accretion (62%) associated with up-regulation of FATP2, SREBP-1c, FAS, ACC, and SCD1, as well as increased tissue levels of SFA and lipogenic FA markers (9c-16:1 and 11c-18:1). 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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background/objective

Coconut oil (CO) consumption has increased due to its potential health benefits, mainly attributed to its high content of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), vitamin E, and antioxidant compounds. However, CO contains more than 90% saturated FA (SFA), raising concerns regarding its impact on cardiometabolic health. The inconsistent evidence on the nutrigenomic effects of CO may be partially attributed to differences in dietary fat intake and CO dosage. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the effect of dietary CO on triacylglycerol (TAG) metabolism under recommended- and high-fat dietary conditions.

Methods

Male Wistar rats (n = 6/group) were fed for 12 weeks one of six experimental diets: S4 (4% soybean oil), C4 (4% CO), S30 (30% soybean oil), or high-fat diets supplemented with low (C30L), medium (C30M) or high (C30H) levels of CO. Nutritional parameters, carcass composition, serum and hepatic TAG and cholesterol concentrations, and fatty acid (FA) profiles in liver, epididymal adipose tissue and serum were determined. Hepatic expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism and transport was also evaluated.

Results

At the recommended dietary fat level, CO increased hepatic TAG accretion (62%) associated with up-regulation of FATP2, SREBP-1c, FAS, ACC, and SCD1, as well as increased tissue levels of SFA and lipogenic FA markers (9c-16:1 and 11c-18:1). These alterations occurred without changes in body weight gain, adiposity, serum TAG and cholesterol, and increased enzyme and gene expression related to beta-oxidation. Under high-fat conditions, rats fed the C30M diet exacerbated the hepatic TAG accretion (24%), accompanied by increased expression of lipogenic genes (ACC, SREBP-1C, and FAS), enhanced estimated lipogenic activity, and higher levels of lipogenic FAs. In contrast, epididimal AT was decreased, whereas other nutritional parameters remained unchanged. Compared with S30, hepatic cholesterol and serum TAG levels were elevated in C30L and C30H, but not in C30M.

Conclusion

Although CO may have some beneficial effects on AT accretion, its consumption increased hepatic TAG content under both recommended- and HF levels. This effect was associated with enhanced hepatic lipogenesis, likely driven by increased tissue incorporation of SFA. Ethics: #CES2024-44.

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椰子油促进大鼠肝脏脂肪生成和脂质增加推荐和高脂肪饮食

背景/目的椰子油（CO）的消费因其潜在的健康益处而增加，主要归因于其高含量的中链脂肪酸（MCFA）、维生素E和抗氧化化合物。然而，CO含有超过90%的饱和FA (SFA)，这引起了人们对其对心脏代谢健康影响的担忧。关于CO营养基因组效应的不一致证据可能部分归因于膳食脂肪摄入量和CO剂量的差异。本初步研究的目的是探讨在推荐脂肪和高脂肪饮食条件下，膳食CO对三酰甘油（TAG）代谢的影响。椰子油（CO）的消费量增加，主要是由于其潜在的健康益处，主要是由于其高含量的中链脂肪酸（MCFA）、维生素E和抗氧化化合物。然而，CO含有超过90%的饱和FA (SFA)，这引起了人们对其对心脏代谢健康影响的担忧。关于CO营养基因组效应的不一致证据可能部分归因于膳食脂肪摄入量和CO剂量的差异。本初步研究的目的是探讨在推荐脂肪和高脂肪饮食条件下，膳食CO对三酰甘油（TAG）代谢的影响。方法选用体型较小的Wistar大鼠（n = 6/组），分别饲喂4（4%豆油）、C4 （4% CO）、S30（30%大豆油）和添加低（C30L）、中（C30M）或高（C30H） CO的高脂饲粮12周，测定各组营养参数、胴体组成、血清和肝脏TAG、胆固醇浓度以及肝脏、附睾脂肪组织和血清脂肪酸（FA）分布。参与脂质代谢和转运的基因的肝脏表达也被评估。雄性Wistar大鼠（n = 6/组）分别饲喂6种试验饲粮：S4（4%大豆油）、C4 （4% CO）、S30（30%大豆油）和添加低（C30L）、中（C30M）或高（C30H） CO的高脂饲粮，为期12周。测定营养参数、胴体组成、血清和肝脏TAG、胆固醇浓度以及肝脏、附睾脂肪组织和血清脂肪酸（FA）分布。参与脂质代谢和转运的基因的肝脏表达也被评估。结果在推荐的膳食脂肪水平下，CO增加了肝脏TAG的增加（62%），并上调了FATP2、SREBP-1c、FAS、ACC和SCD1的表达，增加了组织中SFA和脂源性FA标志物的水平（9c-16:1和11c-18:1）。这些改变发生在体重增加、肥胖、血清TAG和胆固醇以及与β -氧化相关的酶和基因表达增加的情况下。在高脂肪条件下，喂食C30M饮食的大鼠加剧了肝脏TAG的增加（24%），伴随着脂肪生成基因（ACC、SREBP-1C和FAS）的表达增加，估计的脂肪生成活性增强，脂肪生成FAS水平升高。相比之下，附睾AT降低，而其他营养参数保持不变。与S30相比，C30L和C30H组肝脏胆固醇和血清TAG水平升高，而C30M组无升高。在推荐的膳食脂肪水平下，CO增加了肝脏TAG的增加（62%），并上调了FATP2、SREBP-1c、FAS、ACC和SCD1，以及增加了组织中SFA和脂源性FA标志物的水平（9c-16:1和11c-18:1）。这些改变发生在体重增加、肥胖、血清TAG和胆固醇以及与β -氧化相关的酶和基因表达增加的情况下。在高脂肪条件下，喂食C30M饮食的大鼠加剧了肝脏TAG的增加（24%），伴随着脂肪生成基因（ACC、SREBP-1C和FAS）的表达增加，估计的脂肪生成活性增强，脂肪生成FAS水平升高。相比之下，附睾AT降低，而其他营养参数保持不变。与S30相比，C30L和C30H组肝脏胆固醇和血清TAG水平升高，而C30M组无升高。结论虽然一氧化碳可能对AT的增加有一定的有益作用，但在推荐和HF水平下，一氧化碳的消耗增加了肝脏TAG含量。这种效应与肝脏脂肪生成的增强有关，可能是由SFA的组织掺入增加引起的。道德:# CES2024-44。虽然一氧化碳可能对AT的增加有一些有益的作用，但在推荐的-和HF水平下，它的消耗增加了肝脏TAG含量。这种效应与肝脏脂肪生成的增强有关，可能是由SFA的组织掺入增加引起的。道德:# CES2024-44。

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来源期刊

CAHIERS DE NUTRITION ET DE DIETETIQUE NUTRITION & DIETETICS-

CiteScore

0.60

自引率

33.30%

发文量

审稿时长

65 days

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