Effects of post-suckling n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: prevention of dyslipidemia and liver steatosis induced in rats by a sucrose-rich diet during pre- and post-natal life

Abstract

The interaction between fetal programming and the post-natal environment suggests that the post-natal diet could amplify or attenuate programmed outcomes. We investigated whether dietary n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) at weaning resulted in an amelioration of dyslipidemia, adiposity and liver steatosis that was induced by a sucrose-rich diet (SRD; where the fat source is corn oil) from the onset of pregnancy up to adulthood. During pregnancy and lactation, dams were fed an SRD or the standard powdered rodent commercial diet (RD). At weaning and until 150 days of life, male offspring from SRD-dams were divided into two groups and fed an SRD or SRD-with-fish oil [where 6% of the corn oil was partially replaced by fish oil (FO) 5% and corn oil (CO) 1%], forming SRD-SRD or SRD-FO groups. Male offspring from RD-dams continued with RD up to the end of the experimental period, forming an RD-RD group. The presence of FO in the weaning diet showed the following: prevention of hypertriglyceridemia and liver steatosis, together with increased lipogenic enzyme activity caused by a maternal SRD; the complete normalization of CPT I activity and PPARα protein mass levels; a slight but not statistically significant accretion of visceral adiposity; and limited body fat content and reduced plasma free fatty acid levels. All of these results were observed even in the presence of a high-sucrose diet challenge after weaning. SRD-dams' breast milk showed a more saturated fatty acid composition. These results suggest the capacity of n-3 PUFAs to overcome some adverse outcomes induced by a maternal and post-weaning sucrose-rich diet.

Impact of perinatal exposure to sucrose or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS‐55) on adiposity and hepatic lipid composition in rat offspring

“…While these parameters were not measured in the current study, Chicco et al . () reported that maternal consumption of a high‐sucrose diet was associated with increased saturated fat content of the milk. The increased fat mass observed in 3‐week‐old offspring appeared to be mainly driven by deposition in the omental depot.…”

“…There may have also been a difference in the concentrations of specific milk lipids, as previously reported by Chicco et al . () for dams fed a high‐sucrose diet during lactation, or differences in other milk components. This needs to be investigated in future studies.…”

The impact of maternal obesity on inflammatory processes and consequences for later offspring health outcomes

“…In a rat model of glucocorticoid-induced programming, postnatal administration of omega-3 PUFAs mitigated programmed hypertension and hyperlipidemia in male offspring 124 and adipose tissue inflammation in male and female offspring 125 . Post-weaning incorporation of fish oil into the diet prevented programmed dyslipidemia and liver steatosis in males in a high sucrose diet programming model 126 . In a model of uteroplacental insufficiency-induced IUGR, maternal administration of docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy and lactation prevented programmed adiposity and alterations in PPARγ expression and increased circulating adiponectin concentrations in males but not females 127 …”

“…125 Post-weaning incorporation of fish oil into the diet prevented programmed dyslipidemia and liver steatosis in males in a high sucrose diet programming model. 126 In a model of uteroplacental insufficiency-induced IUGR, maternal administration of docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy and lactation prevented programmed adiposity and alterations in PPARγ expression and increased circulating adiponectin concentrations in males but not females. 127 Omega-3 PUFA administration has been shown to be beneficial in a range of programming models, and effective during various exposure periods.…”

Consumo De La Semilla De Chia (Salvia Hispanica L): Posibles Mecanismos De Accion Sobre El Mejoramiento De La Dislipidemia, Resistencia Insulinica Y Adiposidad Visceral en Modelos Experimentales Y Su Extension Al Humano. Estudio De Revision.

“…en este contexto, la presencia de chía desde el destete mejora a nivel hepático los índices de elongasas y desaturasas (estimados por la relación entre el contenido los ácidos grasos 18:0/16:0 y 18:1 n-9/ 18:0 respectivamente) así como su relación con el contenido hepático de tg (104). estos resultados están en concordancia con la habilidad de los PUFAs en suprimir la expresión del SReBP1c (112) y de la estearoil-coA desaturasa (SCd) (113) y en activar los genes involucrados en la oxidación de los ácidos graos (2, 114,115). el normal contenido de los tg hepáticos en las crías donde la chía estuvo presente desde el destete, se correlaciona directamente con la normalización de las actividades enzimáticas FAS, ACC, G-6-PdH y Me (síntesis "de novo" de ácidos grasos) y CPt-1 (relacionada a la oxidación mitocondrial de ácidos grasos).…”