Despite a correlative relationship between Hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis (HIAP) incidence and triglyceride (TG) levels, not all patients with very high TG levels in plasma develop HIAP, suggesting additional contributing factors. We used gas chromatography and thin layer chromatography for analysis of fatty acid (FA) composition in plasma, TGs, and red blood cells (RBC) in healthy volunteers and patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia with and without HIAP, providing a thorough understanding of recent and long-standing physiological states. We found that TGs of hypertriglyceridemic patients with current HIAP contain increased levels of oleic acid, linoleic acid, and the trans FA elaidic acid, all potentially toxic to pancreatic cells; and decreased levels of the pancreatic-protective FAs gondoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Moreover, we found a significant increase in relative assembly of the pro-inflammatory omega-6 PUFAs into RBC membrane phospholipids in HIAP patients. In conclusion, our data suggest a dietary FA composition characterized by higher consumption of ultra-processed foods and a metabolic milieu that increase HIAP susceptibility, and open avenues for further exploration for development of specific dietary or medical interventions to mitigate HIAP risk by altering the FA composition of plasma TGs.

Estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer (BC) is a prevalent and fatal cancer among women, and there is a need to identify molecules involved in the disease pathophysiology which could also serve as biomarkers for early detection. Detection of cancer markers in whole plasma produces excessive information, and identifying important markers involved in cancer progression is challenging. We identified a BC-specific low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle isolated by ultracentrifugation from the plasma of ER-positive BC patients. This LDL has an aberrant proteome and lipidome, significantly different from that of LDL from healthy women, including a high association with the pro-tumor chemokines CXCL4 and CXCL7, and an enrichment with the lipid subclasses phosphatidylethanolamine, ceramide, triglycerides, lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidic acid, and sphingomyelin. In contrast, phosphatidylinositol species were significantly less abundant in LDL from tumor patients than in control. Moreover, BC-associated LDL has a distinct effect on macrophage phenotype, inducing an increased gene expression of IL1β, IL8 and CD206 and decreased gene expression of TNFα, a gene signature characteristic of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). This suggests that this formerly unrecognized form of LDL may represent LDL particles that are recruited by the tumor microenvironment to support tumor progression by inducing discrete subsets of TAMs. In conclusion, these data offer BC-associated LDL as an early biomarker detection platform for ER-positive BC. Furthermore, LDL-associated proteins and lipids that promote BC progression may also serve in the future as novel targets for BC therapies.

Given the health benefits of carotenoids, it is crucial to evaluate their levels in patients undergoing malabsorptive procedures like one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB). This study aimed to assess serum carotenoid levels before and 6 months following OAGB. Prospectively collected data from patients who underwent primary OAGB were analyzed. Data included anthropometrics, dietary intake assessments, and biochemical tests. Serum samples were analyzed for lipid profile and serum carotenoids, including lutein, zeaxanthin, α-carotene, β-carotene, phytofluene, ζ-carotene, and lycopene. Data from 27 patients (median age 47.0 years and 55.6% female) were available before and 6 months post-OAGB. The median pre-surgical BMI was 39.5 kg/m², and the median excess weight loss at 6 months post-surgery was 63.9%. Significant decreases in all carotenoid levels were observed over time (p < 0.001 for all). A median relative decline of 65.1% in absolute total carotenoid levels and 12.7% in total cholesterol levels were found. No associations were observed between changes in clinical outcomes and carotenoid levels during the study period. This study reveals significant decreases in carotenoid levels within the first 6 months following OAGB. Nutritional intervention studies are needed to explore how incorporating carotenoid-rich foods affects post-surgery carotenoid levels and clinical outcomes.