Elaidate, an 18-carbon trans-monoenoic fatty acid, but not physiological fatty acids increases intracellular Zn(2+) in human macrophages.

Artificial trans fatty acids promote atherosclerosis by blocking macrophage clearance of cell debris. Classical fatty-acid response mechanisms include TLR4-NF-κB activation, and Erk1/2 phosphorylation, but these may not indicate long-term mechanisms. Indeed, nuclear NF-κB was increased by 60 min treatment by 30 μM of the 18 carbon trans unsaturated fatty acid elaidic acid (elaidate), the physiological cis-unsaturated fatty acid oleic acid (oleate), and the 18 or 16 carbon saturated fatty acids stearic and palmitic acid (stearate or palmitate).

An examination of the sensory structures in the oral cavity of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis).

The location and distribution of mucosal sensory structures of the crocodilian oral cavity are poorly understood. Although there are several descriptions of these structures in adults, nothing is known about their development. The purpose of this study was to document location, morphology, and relative abundance of these mucosal sensory structures in both hatchling and subadult alligators.

Elaidate, an 18-carbon trans-monoenoic fatty acid, inhibits β-oxidation in human peripheral blood macrophages.

Consumption of trans-unsaturated fatty acids promotes atherosclerosis, but whether degradation of fats in macrophages is altered by trans-unsaturated fatty acids is unknown. We compared the metabolism of oleate (C18:1Δ9-10 cis; (Z)-octadec-9-enoate), elaidate (C18:Δ9-10 trans; (E)-octadec-9-enoate), and stearate (C18:0, octadecanoate) in adherent peripheral human macrophages. Metabolism was followed by measurement of acylcarnitines in cell supernatants by MS/MS, determination of cellular fatty acid content by GC/MS, and assessment of β-oxidation rates using radiolabeled fatty acids.