Consumption of Cookies Made With a Linoleic Acid-Rich Oil Alters Cardiolipin Species in the Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Healthy Adults

Objectives Linoleic acid (LA) is the major fatty acid in cardiolipin (CL), a phospholipid important for mitochondria function. Increasing dietary LA elevates tetralinoleoyl CL (LA4 CL) in cardiac muscle of animals; however, it is not clear if dietary LA increases LA4 CL in humans. The aim of this study was to determine if daily consumption of a cookie made with a LA-rich oil for two weeks could alter LA4 CL in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in healthy adults. Methods In a double-masked placebo-controlled study, 84 healthy adults were randomly assigned to consume one cookie made with LA-rich grapeseed oil (LA-cookie) or one cookie made with oleic acid-rich (OA) safflower oil (OA-cookie), every day for two weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected for analysis of PBMC cardiolipin species. Results Daily consumption of the LA-cookie for 2 weeks increased LA4 CL in PBMC, while consuming the OA-cookie did not alter LA4 CL (group x week interaction p < 0.01). LA3OA1 CL decreased in the LA-cookie group but was unchanged in the OA-cookie group (group x week interaction p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the change of LA2OA2 CL or LA1OA3 CL between the groups. Conclusions Increasing LA intake through daily cookie consumption increased LA4 CL and altered other CL species in the PBMC of healthy adults. Future studies are needed to assess if PBMC CL species may be a biomarker for CL species in other tissues and to determine if changes in CL species through increased dietary LA intake are associated with altered mitochondria function. Funding Sources Funding was provided by the Carol S. Kennedy Professorship and the Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center.