Palmitoleic acid in health and disease

The omega-7 fatty acid palmitoleic acid has received wide research interest in recent years. Though dietary sources of palmitoleic acid are largely limited, it can originate from de novo lipogenesis mediated by stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 in humans. Palmitoleic acid has been considered as a novel lipid hormone "lipokine," since animal studies demonstrated that palmitoleic acid can be released by adipose tissue, and affects the metabolism of distant organs, including the liver and skeletal muscle. However, due to the complicated interaction between diet and endogenous synthesis of palmitoleic acid, the hormone-like effects of palmitoleic acid were questioned by human studies. This chapter aims to summarize the current evidence on palmitoleic acid, its role as a lipid hormone, and its effects on obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Based on the existing evidence, though both endogenous and exogenous palmitoleic acid are closely related to or involved in various metabolisms, its impacts on certain metabolic diseases remain inconclusive