Identification of a potential biomarker panel for the intake of the common dietary trans fat elaidic acid (trans{increment}9-C18:1)

Trans fatty acid intake has been correlated to an unfavorable plasma lipoprotein profile and an increased cardiovascular disease risk. The present study aimed to identify a plasma protein biomarker panel related to human intake of elaidic acid. The human liver cell line HepG2-SF was used as a model system, and the cells were maintained for seven days in serum-free medium containing 100 μM elaidic acid (trans{increment}9-C18:1), oleic acid (cis{increment}9-C18:1) or stearic acid (C18:0). The secretomes were analyzed by stable isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture (SILAC), difference in gel electrophoresis (DIGE) and gene expression microarray analysis. Twelve proteins were found to be differentially regulated based on SILAC data (> 1.3 fold change, P-value < 0.05), 13 proteins were found to be differentially regulated based on DIGE analysis (> 1.3 fold change, P-value < 0.05), and 17 mRNA transcripts encoding extracellular proteins were determined to be affected (> 1.3 fold change, P-value < 0.01) following the addition of elaidic acid compared to oleic acid or stearic acid. The results revealed that 37 proteins were regulated specifically in response to elaidic acid exposure, and nine of these proteins were confirmed to be regulated in this manner by using selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry.