Dietary biotin effects on polyunsaturated fatty acids in chick tissue lipids and prostaglandin E2 levels in freeze-clamped hearts.

Chicks were fed a purified diet with 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, or 500 micrograms/kg diet of added biotin to determine the effects of biotin deficiency on polyunsaturated fatty acids in tissue lipids. Body weight was reduced by biotin deficiency and liver and heart biotin levels varied with the biotin in the diet. Fatty acids in liver and lung from biotin-deficient chicks at 15 days contained elevated (P less than .03) 18:3 omega 3 and 18:2 omega 6 but prostaglandin precursors 20:3 omega 6 and 20:4 omega 6 were reduced (P less than .03) in liver lipids. Heart tissues from 15-day-old chicks fed the biotin-deficient diet were low (P less than .03) in 20:3 omega 6. Feeding acetylsalicylic acid in diets containing added biotin (0, 100, 400, and 500 micrograms/kg) did not significantly alter fatty acid levels in chick tissue lipids but significantly reduced plasma prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Biotin deficiency reduced heart PGE2 levels in 22-day-old chicks. An 8-h fast reduced (P less than .04) 20:4 omega 6 in chick heart total fatty acids.