Comparison of catabolic rates of sn-1, sn-2, and sn-3 fatty acids in triacylglycerols using 13CO2 breath test in mice

Abstract

Fatty acids in triacylglycerols (TAGs) are catabolized after digestion. However, the catabolic rates of the fatty acids at the sn-1, sn-2, and sn-3 positions of TAGs have not been compared. To elucidate the differences, we studied the catabolic rates of 13C-labeled palmitic acid, oleic acid, and capric acid at the sn-1, sn-2, or sn-3 position of TAGs using isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. Specifically, we measured the 13C-to-12C ratio in CO2 (Δ13C (‰)) exhaled by mice. For all analyzed fatty acids, we observed significant differences between sn-2 and other binding positions. In contrast, no significant difference was detected between the sn-1 and sn-3 positions. These results indicated that the catabolic rates of fatty acids are strongly influenced by their positions in TAGs.