Effects of oleic acid rich oils on aorta lipids and lipoprotein lipase activity of spontaneously hypertensive rats

Hypertension development in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) leads to vascular wall widening by smooth muscle cell proliferation. In these cells, triglycerides (TG) and cholesteryl esters (CE) can accumulate until they become foam cells. We administrated two oleic rich oils, virgin olive (VOO) and high oleic sunflower oils (HOSO), to Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and SHR because these oils have been reported to reduce the risk for coronary heart disease in hypertensive patients and SHR. After 12 weeks of feeding, we analyzed the TG and CE composition and the lipolytic (lipoprotein lipase, LPL, and non-LPL) activity in aortas of these animals. HOSO increased the content of linoleic acid in CE and TG of aortas from both WKY and SHR as compared with animals fed VOO by proportionally decreasing the content of oleic acid. Conversely, VOO reduced the LPL and non-LPL lipolytic activities, hence limiting the free fatty acids available for the synthesis of TG and CE in the vascular wall.