Iliana López-Soldado1, Henar Ortega-Senovilla1, Emilio Herrera2. 1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, Ctra. Boadilla del Monte km 5.3, Boadilla del Monte, 28668, Madrid, Spain. 2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, Ctra. Boadilla del Monte km 5.3, Boadilla del Monte, 28668, Madrid, Spain. eherrera@ceu.es.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The utilization of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) by the fetus may exceed its capacity to synthesize them from essential fatty acids, so they have to come from the mother. Since adipose tissue lipolytic activity is greatly accelerated under fasting conditions during late pregnancy, the aim was to determine how 24 h fasting in late pregnant rats given diets with different fatty acid compositions affects maternal and fetal tissue fatty acid profiles. METHODS: Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were given isoenergetic diets containing 10% palm-, sunflower-, olive- or fish-oil. Half the rats were fasted from day 19 of pregnancy and all were studied on day 20. Triacylglycerols (TAG), glycerol and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were analyzed by enzymatic methods and fatty acid profiles were analyzed by gas chromatography. RESULTS: Fasting caused increments in maternal plasma NEFA, glycerol and TAG, indicating increased adipose tissue lipolytic activity. Maternal adipose fatty acid profiles paralleled the respective diets and, with the exception of animals on the olive oil diet, maternal fasting increased the plasma concentration of most fatty acids. This maintains the availability of LCPUFA to the fetus during brain development. CONCLUSIONS: The results show the major role played by maternal adipose tissue in the storage of dietary fatty acids during pregnancy, thus ensuring adequate availability of LCPUFA to the fetus during late pregnancy, even when food supply is restricted.
PURPOSE: The utilization of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) by the fetus may exceed its capacity to synthesize them from essential fatty acids, so they have to come from the mother. Since adipose tissue lipolytic activity is greatly accelerated under fasting conditions during late pregnancy, the aim was to determine how 24 h fasting in late pregnant rats given diets with different fatty acid compositions affects maternal and fetal tissue fatty acid profiles. METHODS: Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were given isoenergetic diets containing 10% palm-, sunflower-, olive- or fish-oil. Half the rats were fasted from day 19 of pregnancy and all were studied on day 20. Triacylglycerols (TAG), glycerol and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were analyzed by enzymatic methods and fatty acid profiles were analyzed by gas chromatography. RESULTS: Fasting caused increments in maternal plasma NEFA, glycerol and TAG, indicating increased adipose tissue lipolytic activity. Maternal adipose fatty acid profiles paralleled the respective diets and, with the exception of animals on the olive oil diet, maternal fasting increased the plasma concentration of most fatty acids. This maintains the availability of LCPUFA to the fetus during brain development. CONCLUSIONS: The results show the major role played by maternal adipose tissue in the storage of dietary fatty acids during pregnancy, thus ensuring adequate availability of LCPUFA to the fetus during late pregnancy, even when food supply is restricted.
Authors: Marilia Ferreira Frazão Tavares de Melo; Diego Elias Pereira; Renally de Lima Moura; Elisiane Beatriz da Silva; Flávio Augusto Lyra Tavares de Melo; Celina de Castro Querino Dias; Maciel da Costa Alves Silva; Maria Elieidy Gomes de Oliveira; Vanessa Bordin Viera; Maria Manuela Estevez Pintado; Sócrates Golzio Dos Santos; Juliana Késsia Barbosa Soares Journal: Front Neurosci Date: 2019-01-23 Impact factor: 4.677