Effects of trans fatty acids intake on essential elements in liver and kidney of rats

Abstract

Abstract. Over time, trans fatty acids (TFAs) have appeared more and more in people’s lives, and the harm of TFAs has been gradually discovered and confirmed. Excessive intake of trans fats can cause metabolic disturbance and increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). In addition, TFAs are also closely related to diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers, and have adverse effects on the health of pregnant women and the growth of infants. Trace elements, as bioactive substances in the organism, play an important role in normal physiological functions and maintaining the normal metabolism of organisms. We aim to investigate possible changes in some essential elements in liver and kidney of rats exposed to long-term intake of TFAs. Rats fed with different doses of TFAs were divided into different dosage groups during 12 weeks, namely low-dose group (50 mg/kg×BW), medium-dose group (100 mg/kg×BW) and high-dose group (150 mg/kg×BW). At the end of the exposure period, the organs were taken from the rats and carefully preserved. The levels of certain elements (Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Cu) were measured by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). It was found that long-term intake of TFAs was associated with decreased hepatic Ca levels (p < 0.05) and with decreased renal Ca levels (p < 0.05). A statistically significant decrease was found in Cu levels in liver and kidney in the experimental groups compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, renal Fe levels were significantly decreased in low and medium groups (p < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed in Zn and Mg levels. In summary, the results of this study have shown that long-term intake of TFAs can influence mineral status, causing Cu and Ca deficiency in liver and kidney, but the mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon are unclear and require further investigation.