EFFECT OF CONJUGATED LINOLEIC-ACID ON BODY-COMPOSITION IN MICE

The effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on body composition were investigated. ICR mice were fed a control diet containing 5.5% corn o il or a CLA-supplemented diet (5.0% corn oil plus 0.5% CLA). Mice fed CLA-supplemented diet exhibited 57% and 60% lower body fat and 5% and 14% increased lean body mass relative to controls (P < 0.05). Total ca rnitine palmitoyltransferase activity was increased by dietary CLA sup plementation in both fat pad and skeletal muscle; the differences were significant for fat pad of fed mice and skeletal muscle of fasted mic e. In cultured 3T3-L1 adipocyte; CLA treatment (1 x 10(-4) M) signific antly reduced heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase activity (-66%) an d the intracellular concentrations of triacylglyceride (-8%) and glyce rol (-15%), but significantly increased free glycerol in the culture m edium (+22%) compared to control (P < 0.05). The effects of CLA on bod y composition appear to be due in part to reduced fat deposition and i ncreased lipolysis in adipocytes, possibly coupled with enhanced fatty acid oxidation in both muscle cells and adipocytes.