Protective Effects of Nitrated Fatty Acids from Olive Oil on Cardiovascular Risk in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined by the deposition of fat in the liver without alcohol consumption. Moreover, it is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Olive oil is one of the main sources of lipids in the Mediterranean diet and may reduce cardiovascular risk, although the mechanism has not yet been elucidated. Olive oil is a source of nitrated fatty acids (NO₂-FA) that are formed during digestion and are bioactive molecules with potent anti-inflammatory actions and cytoprotective effects. The aim of this work was to study the capacity of NO₂-FA derived from olive oil in protecting mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiomyocytes in NAFLD. We used a murine model of NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet, supplemented with and without nitrite, as well as with and without olive oil. Heart biopsies were used to analyze mitochondrial function using high-resolution respirometry and the enzymatic activity of the mitochondrial transport chain complexes. As a result, we observed that the supplementation of olive oil in the presence of nitrite, a condition that favors the formation of NO₂-FA, improves mitochondrial function in heart biopsies, which correlates with the improvement in ATPase activity in that tissue. These compounds may be partly responsible for the beneficial effects of this functional food.