Subgroup analysis revealed that increasing dietary ALA tends to elevate CRP concentration  in healthy subjects .
However , the null effect of ALA supplementation on other inflammatory markers was not changed in various subgroups , indicating that the results are stable .
Meta-regression results revealed a negative relationship between the effect size on CRP and its baseline concentration .
No significant publication bias was observed for all inflammatory markers as suggested by funnel plot and Begg ’s test .
Conclusion Our meta- analysis did not find any beneficial effect of ALA supplementation  on reducing inflammatory markers including TNF , IL-6 , CRP , sICAM-1 , and sVCAM-1 .
However , in healthy subjects  , ALA supplementation might increase CRP concentration
Purpose The aim of the current meta- analysis was to investigate the effect of increasing dietary ALA intake on the blood concentration of inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor ( TNF ) , interleukin 6 ( IL-6 ) , C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ( sICAM-1 ) , and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 ( sVCAM-1 )  in adults .
α-Linolenic acid increases the G0/G1 switch gene 2 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from obese patients: a pilot study
Background Recent evidence has demonstrated that the G0/G1 switch gene 2 ( G0S2 ) is an important negative regulator of the rate-limiting lipolytic enzyme adipose triglyceride lipase-mediated lipolysis . It has been revealed that α-linolenic acid ( ALA ) , a plant-based essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids , reduces adipose tissue lipolysis . However , it is not known whether G0S2 is implicated in ALA-induced inhibition of lipolysis . The purpose of this pilot study is to investigate the effect of ALA on G0S2 gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( P BMC ) of obese patients and the potential influence of G0S2 gene expression in ALA-induced inhibition of lipolysis . Methods A total of 26 obese patients were r and omly assigned to be  treated with or without ALA treatment ( ~4.0 g daily ) for 12 weeks : the ALA-treated group  ( n = 14 ) or the untreated control group  ( n = 12 ) . Plasma triglyceride ( TG ) , free fatty acids ( FFA ) , glycerol , interleukin-6 ( IL-6 ) and tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α ) , as well as the mRNA expression levels of proliferator-activated receptor gamma ( PPAR-γ ) , G0S2 , and G protein-coupled receptor 120 ( GPR120 ) in P BMC were repeatedly examined from fasting obese patients before and after ALA treatment . Results ALA significantly decreased plasma TG , FFA , glycerol , IL-6 , and TNF-α levels and increased the mRNA expression levels of PPAR-γ , G0S2 , and GPR120 in P BMC , compared with the untreated control group . In obese patients from the ALA-treated group , decreased plasma FFA ( a biomarker for lipolysis ) level was significantly correlated with increased PPAR-γ ( a functional omega-3 fatty acids receptor ) and G0S2 ( a direct target gene of PPAR-γ ) mRNA expression in P BMC , while decreased plasma FFA level was not correlated with increased GPR120 ( another functional omega-3 fatty acids receptor ) mRNA expression in P BMC . Conclusion This study shows that ALA  increases G0S2 gene expression in P BMC in parallel with the decrease of plasma FFA level in obese patients .  Increased G0S2 gene expression might contribute to the beneficial anti-lipolytic effect of ALA in obese patients
Subgroup analysis revealed that increasing dietary ALA tends to elevate CRP concentration  in healthy subjects .
However , the null effect of ALA supplementation on other inflammatory markers was not changed in various subgroups , indicating that the results are stable .
Meta-regression results revealed a negative relationship between the effect size on CRP and its baseline concentration .
No significant publication bias was observed for all inflammatory markers as suggested by funnel plot and Begg ’s test .
Conclusion Our meta- analysis did not find any beneficial effect of ALA supplementation  on reducing inflammatory markers including TNF , IL-6 , CRP , sICAM-1 , and sVCAM-1 .
However , in healthy subjects  , ALA supplementation might increase CRP concentration
Purpose The aim of the current meta- analysis was to investigate the effect of increasing dietary ALA intake on the blood concentration of inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor ( TNF ) , interleukin 6 ( IL-6 ) , C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ( sICAM-1 ) , and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 ( sVCAM-1 )  in adults .