Circulating omega-7 fatty acids are differentially related to metabolic dysfunction and incident type II diabetes: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

N. L. Weir, B. T. Steffen, W. Guan, L. M. Johnson, L. Djousse, K. J. Mukamal, M. Y. Tsai

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

AIM: Determine whether plasma omega-7 vaccenic acid and palmitoleic acid levels are related to homeostasis model of insulin resistance scores and incident type II diabetes, and whether race/ethnicity modifies these associations.

METHODS: Plasma phospholipid fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection in Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis participants. Linear regression determined associations of vaccenic acid and palmitoleic acid with log-transformed homeostasis model of insulin resistance scores (n=5689), and Cox regression determined associations with incident type II diabetes (n=5413, 660 cases). Race-interactions were tested.

RESULTS: Adjusting for typical risk factors, higher levels of plasma vaccenic acid were found to be inversely associated with insulin resistance scores across all four race/ethnicities, and a significant race-interaction was observed between Hispanics and Caucasians (P for interaction=0.03). Vaccenic acid was related to 17%, 32%, and 39% lower risks of incident type II diabetes in Black, Hispanic, and Chinese American participants, respectively. Differences in associations between races were detected (P for interactions<0.05). By contrast, higher levels of plasma palmitoleic acid were related to greater insulin resistance scores in Blacks (P<0.001) and Hispanics (P<0.001); significant race-based differences between associations were detected (P for interactions<0.05). Palmitoleic acid was correspondingly related to a 21% greater risk of incident type II diabetes in Black individuals.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that plasma vaccenic acid and palmitoleic acid are markers of metabolic health and dysfunction, respectively. Coupled with previous evidence and the significant race-interactions, our findings have implications for future studies of the race-based differences in omega-7 fatty acids and their regulation in the context of deteriorating metabolic health.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)319-325
Number of pages7
JournalDiabetes and Metabolism
Volume46
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS

Keywords

  • HOMA
  • MESA
  • Omega-7
  • Plasma fatty acid
  • Race
  • Type 2 diabetes

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