Lipoxygenase inhibitors inhibit heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and enhance body fat reduction in mice by conjugated linoleic acid

The t10c12 isomer of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces lipid accumulation in adipocytes in part by inhibiting heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. We now show that inhibitors of lipoxygenase (LOX) activity (2-[12-hydroxydodeca-5,10-diynyl]-3,5,6-trimethyl-p-benzoquinone; 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid; salicylhydroxamic acid; indomethacin; nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA)) produce a similar inhibitory effect on LPL activity in cultured 3T3-L1 mouse adipocytes. Additionally the LOX inhibitors had no effect on, or inhibited, lipolysis in this cell system (measured as glycerol release). Growing mice fed diet containing 0.1% NDGA for 4 weeks displayed 21% reduction in body fat, which was similar to 23% reduction in body fat produced by feeding diet containing a suboptimal amount of CLA (0.1%) for 4 weeks. Feeding diet containing both 0.1% NDGA and 0.1% CLA resulted in 51% reduction in body fat which was accompanied by significant increases in whole body water and protein. Aspirin, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase 1 and 2, had no effect on LPL activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, did not affect body composition when fed to growing mice, and failed to influence the effects of CLA on LPL activity in 3T3-L1 cells or body composition in mice. These findings appear to provide new perspectives and insights into the relationships between CLA, eicosanoids, the control of lipid accumulation in adipocytes, and effects of CLA on the immune system.