Lipid interactions with dietary protein

Chromium(III) is an essential nutrient required for normal energy metabolism. The National Research Council (NRC) recommends a dietary intake of 50-200 ig/day (NRC 1989). The biologically active form of an organic chromium(ni) complex, often referred to as GTF, is believed to function by facilitating the interaction of insulin with its cellular receptor sites. The exact mechanism of this interaction is not known (Anderson 1981 Evans 1989). Studies have shown that chromium supplementation in deficient and marginally deficient subjects can result in improved glucose, protein, and lipid metabolism. 

It is largely accepted that a high dietary intake of poly-unsaturated fatty adds (PUFA) in the a>-3 series has beneficial effects. Recently, cellular lipid metabolism has been suggested as a target for cancer therapy. Cancer cells, compared with normal cells, seem to be vulnerable to exposure of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially those in the o -3 series. Characteristic for these compounds are their poor abihty to be oxidized in the cell due to multiple double bonds. They are however likely to be ester-rfied to oflier Upids, and their incorporation into membrane phosphohpids will influence membrane properties such as fluidity, protein interactions and susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. The hypohpidemic properties of some (0-3 fatty acids, such as EPA, are probably e lained by an induction of mitochondrial P -oxidation that is not found after adrninistration of the non-hypolipidemic (o-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)." However, both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA cause increased peroxisomal... 

---