Dietary fatty acids as nutritional modulators of sirtuins: a systematic review

Context: The sirtuins (SIRT1 to SIRT7) constitute a family of highly conserved nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent proteins. When activated, sirtuins control essential cellular processes to maintain metabolic homeostasis, while lack of expression of sirtuins has been related to chronic disease. Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the role of fat consumption as a modulator of human sirtuins. Data Sources: This review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies were identified by searches of the electronic databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Study Selection: Randomized clinical trials assessing the effect of fatty acid consumption on sirtuin mRNA expression, sirtuin protein expression, or sirtuin protein activity were eligible for inclusion. Data Extraction: Two authors screened and determined the quality of the studies; disagreements were resolved by the third author. All authors compared the compiled data. Results: Seven clinical studies with 3 different types of interventions involving healthy and nonhealthy participants were selected. Only SIRT1 and SIRT3 were evaluated. Overall, the evidence from clinical studies to date is insufficient to understand how lipid consumption modulates sirtuins in humans. The best-characterized mechanism highlights oleic acid as a natural activator of SIRT1. Conclusion: These results draw attention to a new field of interest in nutrition science. The possible activation of sirtuins by dietary fat manipulation may represent an important nutritional strategy for management of chronic and metabolic disease.