Refeeding after fasting increases apparent oxidation of N-3 and N-6 fatty acids in pregnant rats

The intake, excretion, and accumulation of long-chain fatty acids was analyzed to test the hypothesis that during pregnancy in the rat whole-body partitioning of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids between net accumulation or disappearance (apparent oxidation) is determined by both maternal energy status and fetal development. From midpregnancy to term in ad libitum-fed rats consuming-rodent chow, 30% more saturates and monounsaturates accumulated in the whole body than were consumed, whereas 28% of dietary n-6 fatty acids and 55% of dietary n-3 fatty acids were apparently oxidized. After 48 hours of fasting during midpregnancy (days 13 to 15) followed by refeeding to term, net accumulation of saturates and monounsaturates was equivalent to intake, but whole-body disappearance of n-6 fatty acids exceeded intake by 6% (NS), whereas n-3 fatty acid disappearance exceeded intake by 43%. Thus during refeeding after fasting, dietary n-6 and n-3 fatty acids were apparently completely oxidized and there was actually a net loss of n-3 fatty acids from whole-body stores. Fasting during midpregnancy did not significantly affect fetal weight gain or maternal gestational hyperlipidemia toward term. We conclude that during pregnancy n-6 and n-3 fatty acids are not only required for maternal and fetal structural and storage lipids, but are also used to meet energy requirements, especially during refeeding after fasting.

Response of individual serum free fatty acids to oral and intravenous glucose: relation to adipose tissue composition

The rate of oral glucose delivery determines whether serum total free fatty acids remain low (glucose sipping over 210 min) or rebound 120-180 min after initial suppression (via glucose bolus), but the response of individual serum free fatty acids to glucose ingestion is largely unknown. In this study, we measured the changes over 240 min in the levels of individual serum free and esterified fatty acids after bolus or sipped glucose ingestion and determined the extent to which the changes are related to abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue composition. In eight healthy volunteers, 74% of the prolonged suppression of total serum free fatty acids resulting from sipping 50 g glucose over 210 min was caused by a decrease in free linoleic and oleic acids, whereas 92% of the rebound in total free fatty acids 240 min after consuming 50 g of glucose as a bolus was caused by increases in free oleic and linoleic acids. Two hundred forty minutes after the oral glucose, slower intravenous clearance of 5 g glucose was directly correlated to higher total serum free fatty acids and free stearic acid and higher oleic but lower linoleic acid in adipose tissue. We conclude that the net response of serum free fatty acids to an oral glucose load is mediated primarily by oleic and linoleic acids in a manner largely unrelated to adipose tissue composition.

The importance of energy and nutrient supply in human brain evolution

Current evolutionary theories do not adequately address the question of how the human brain evolved to be larger and more sophisticated than that of other primates. The human brain/body weight ratio is 4-5 times higher than in primates and, relative to the rest of the body, requires up to 10 times as much energy as in other land-based mammals. Human brain evolution must therefore have required a stable food supply providing a reliable source of both high dietary energy and a cluster of 'brain-specific' nutrients over a long period of time. These nutrient and energy requirements are available in the marine and shore-based food chain but are difficult if not impossible to obtain in the terrestrial food chain. We suggest that marine and estuarine ecosystems provided hominids with the appropriate stimulus to develop a relatively large brain. This occurred in conjunction with the evolution of other uniquely human features, particularly relative hairlessness, bipedalism and abundant neonatal subcutaneous fat. Invertebrates, molluscs, small or slow-moving fish, and marine algae would have provided a stable, abundant supply of energy, long chain polyunsaturates and other nutrients essential for the brain and would have done so with comparatively little mammalian competition. The land-water interface would thus have allowed the hominid brain to develop sufficient neurological complexity to enable sophisticated tool and behaviour patterns to evolve in humans as a natural sequel to such a biochemical and environmental stimulus.

Childhood origins of lifestyle-related risk factors for coronary heart disease in adulthood

Research over the past 40 years clearly points to childhood as a critical period when dietary and lifestyle patterns are initiated which have longterm implications for coronary heart disease risk in adult life. Smoking, high habitual dietary intake of total fat and saturated fat, low exercise level, and excessive alcohol consumption often occur in family aggregates. They are correlated with elevated serum cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension in children, as well as with a predisposition to premature death from coronary heart disease. Intervention studies in children and adolescents show, however, that these lifestyle-risk factors are controllable through education and dietary counselling of the affected individual and their family. Equally important are the emerging data in adults showing that vigorous longterm intervention involving reduction of dietary fat and work-related stress, increased exercise, and elimination of smoking all contribute to a significant improvement in coronary perfusion. Hence, effective dietary and lifestyle management of coronary heart disease can occur at early or later stages of the disease and needs better support from health authorities at the national and international level.

Detection of [U-13C]eicosapentaenoic acid in rat liver lipids using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Fatty acid carbons are well-resolved in 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of lipid extracts, but application of this methodology to the metabolism of 13C-labelled fatty acids has not yet been reported. In the present study, 13C NMR was used to monitor the presence of 98% [U-13C]eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in liver and carcass lipids 24 h after it had been injected into the stomach of a rat. Natural abundance 13C NMR spectra of liver total fatty acid extracts were obtained from four control rats for comparison. At 24 h post-injection, quantitative high resolution 13C NMR showed 13C enrichment in liver fatty acid extracts was present mainly at olefinic and at the n-1 to n-4 carbons, but 13C signal intensities for C-1 to C-4 of [U-13C]EPA were markedly reduced or absent. Small 13C resonances, possibly indicative of some 13C incorporation into docosahexaenoic acid and saturated or monounsaturated fatty acids, were present in spectra of liver fatty acids. Liver and carcass fatty acid composition was similar in both the controls and the EPA-injected rat, suggesting little accumulation of the injected [U-13C]EPA after 24 h. We conclude that the carbon-specific data provided by 13C NMR of lipid extracts may be useful in monitoring the fate of individual carbons during tracer studies using 13C-labelled fatty acids.

High alpha-linolenic acid flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum): some nutritional properties in humans

Although high alpha-linolenic acid flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) is one of the richest dietary sources of alpha-linolenic acid and is also a good source of soluble fibre mucilage, it is relatively unstudied in human nutrition. Healthy female volunteers consumed 50 g ground, raw flaxseed/d for 4 weeks which provided 12-13% of energy intake (24-25 g/100 g total fat). Flaxseed raised alpha-linolenic acid and long-chain n-3 fatty acids in both plasma and erythrocyte lipids, as well as raising urinary thiocyanate excretion 2.2-fold. Flaxseed also lowered serum total cholesterol by 9% and low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol by 18%. Changes in plasma alpha-linolenic acid were equivalent when 12 g alpha-linolenic acid/d was provided as raw flaxseed flour (50 g/d) or flaxseed oil (20 g/d) suggesting high bioavailability of alpha-linolenic acid from ground flaxseed. Test meals containing 50 g carbohydrate from flaxseed or 25 g flaxseed mucilage each significantly decreased postprandial blood glucose responses by 27%. Malondialdehyde levels in muffins containing 15 g flaxseed oil or flour/kg were similar to those in wheat-flour muffins. Cyanogenic glycosides (linamarin, linustatin, neolinustatin) were highest in extracted flaxseed mucilage but were not detected in baked muffins containing 150 g flaxseed/kg. We conclude that up to 50 g high-alpha-linolenic acid flaxseed/d is palatable, safe and may be nutritionally beneficial in humans by raising n-3 fatty acids in plasma and erythrocytes and by decreasing postprandial glucose responses.

Low zinc intake increases apparent oxidation of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids in the pregnant rat

Dietary zinc deficiency impairs desaturation and elongation of linoleic acid, but nothing is so far known about its effects on net whole-body utilization of linoleic or alpha-linolenic acids. By measuring intake, whole-body accumulation, and excretion of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, together with accumulation of their long-chain products, we hypothesized that a quantitative estimate could be obtained of their whole-body disappearance (apparent oxidation). This was evaluated in pregnant and non-pregnant rats given a low-zinc diet (3.4 vs. 34 mg zinc/kg diet in zinc-adequate controls). In the nonpregnant controls, low zinc intake did not significantly affect food intake or weight gain but did reduce whole-body accumulation of desaturated and (or) elongated products of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids. In pregnant rats, low zinc intake reduced food intake and weight gain and doubled whole-body disappearance of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids relative to that in the zinc-adequate controls. In contrast to the maternal fatty acid changes, low zinc intake had no significant effect on linoleic acid accumulation in the fetuses. We conclude that low zinc intake during pregnancy prevents the normal accumulation of long-chain fatty acids and differentially depletes maternal whole-body stores of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids.

Gestational hyperlipidemia in the rat is characterized by accumulation of n - 6 and n - 3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid

We have evaluated the relative and quantitative changes in long-chain fatty acids in maternal liver, serum, carcass and conceptus (fetuses plus placentae) during pregnancy in the rat, to ascertain whether previous concern over lower proportions of n - 6 and n - 3 fatty acids in maternal serum could be indicative of suboptimal n - 6 or n - 3 fatty acid status. Gestational hyperlipidemia was characterized by proportional decreases in linoleic, stearic and arachidonic acids but increases in palmitic and docosahexaenoic acids. However, the quantitative amount (microgram/ml) of linoleic, arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids in serum lipids actually increased 2-5-fold from mid-pregnancy to term. Compared to non-pregnant rats, gestational hyperlipidemia was also associated with a lower proportion but similar quantity of linoleic acid in maternal carcass and adipose stores. We conclude that gestational hyperlipidemia in the rat is characterized by a relative but not quantitative decrease in whole-body stores of n - 6 fatty acids and a marked proportional and quantitative increase in docosahexaenoic acid in maternal organs and in the conceptus.

Preferential retention of linoleic acid-enriched triacylglycerols in liver and serum during fasting

Fasting has been reported to quantitatively increase linoleic and arachidonic acids in liver triacylglycerols, but the origin and mechanism of this change are unknown. The changes in long-chain fatty acids and triacylglycerol species of liver, serum, adipose tissue, and heart were therefore examined during a period of 24- or 48-h fasting in the rat. In liver and serum triacylglycerols, fasting resulted in a quantitative increase in arachidonic, stearic, linoleic, alpha-linolenic, and docosahexaenoic acids but a decrease in oleic, palmitic, and palmitoleic acids. After fasting, oleic acid was depleted the most from liver and serum triacylglycerols followed by palmitoleic and palmitic acids. Triacylglycerol species containing palmitic, palmitoleic, and oleic acids were depleted the most from liver and serum during fasting. Linoleic acid-enriched triacylglycerol species were proportionally and, in some cases, quantitatively increased in liver and serum triacylglycerols during fasting. Net retention of triacylglycerol species with a total acyl carbon number of 56 or 58 in the liver and 60 in serum was also observed during fasting. Selective retention of triacylglycerol species did not occur in the heart or perirenal or epididymal adipose tissue during fasting. Tissue phospholipid fatty acids were largely unaffected by fasting. Our data suggest that during fasting, long-chain fatty acids released from adipose tissue are differentially utilized and hepatic triacylglycerol species are remodeled, permitting optimal tissue composition of essential fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid.

Carbon-by-carbon discrimination of 13C incorporation into liver fatty acids

Quantitative carbon-by-carbon analysis would be useful in determining the origin and fate of carbons involved in fatty acid metabolism. Incorporation of 13C from 2-[13C]acetate into specific carbons of liver fatty acids was lowest at the n-2 carbon of saturates and monoenes but was 47% greater at acyl C1 than at C2, suggesting substantial redistribution of the 13C from C2 to C1 of acetyl CoA or malonyl CoA prior to 13C incorporation into fatty acids during de novo synthesis or during elongation. Thus, 13C derived from exogenous acetate can be quantitatively measured and is differentially incorporated into individual carbons depending on position in the fatty acid molecule.

Quantitative changes in long-chain fatty acids during fetal and early postnatal development in rats

The quantitative importance of triacylglycerol as a source of total essential fatty acids during early postnatal development is reported in the accompanying article. Our objective here was to measure the quantitative changes in individual long-chain fatty acids in specific lipid classes of the carcass, liver, and brain of the developing rat mainly to describe the relative accumulation of long-chain vs. precursor fatty acids. Fatty acids in carcass phosphatidylcholine (micrograms/g) were lower at fetal days 18-21 than at either fetal day 15 or postnatal days +3 to +9. Individual long-chain fatty acids in liver phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine increased markedly by day +3 postnatally, whereas in brain phosphatidylethanolamine, the postnatal increase was delayed to between days +6 and +9. Fatty acids in carcass and liver triacylglycerols increased quantitatively by 10- to 300-fold from fetal day 21 to postnatal day +3 with amounts of both arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid equaling linoleic acid. The ratios of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids to respective long-chain products were significantly higher in triacylglycerols, whereas that of stearic to oleic acid was higher in phospholipids. We conclude that, during early postnatal life, oleic, linoleic, and alpha-linolenic acids are required in quantitatively greater amounts in triacylglycerols, whereas stearic acid and long-chain essential fatty acids are required in phospholipids.

Early postnatal development in the rat is characterized by accumulation of highly unsaturated triacylglycerols

Our objective was to determine the quantitative changes of individual triacylglycerol (TG) species in liver and carcass during early postnatal growth. Pregnant rats were killed at d 21 of pregnancy, and neonatal rats were killed at d 3 or 9 after birth. Quantitative changes in fatty acids and TG species of fetal/neonatal liver and carcass were determined using capillary gas liquid chromatography. At postnatal d 3 or 9 compared with fetal d 21, total carcass TG increased 11- to 12-fold, with nonessential fatty acids increasing 8- to 9-fold, n-6 essential fatty acids (EFA) increasing 34- to 44-fold, and n-3 EFA increasing 19- to 29-fold, respectively. Total neonatal liver TG increased 13-fold from fetal d 21 to postnatal d 3, with a 6-fold increase in non-EFA, a 34-fold increase in total n-6 EFA and a 65-fold increase in total n-3 EFA. At postnatal d 3 compared with fetal d 21, larger molecular weight liver TG classes (C56-C64) increased 68-fold, followed by lower molecular weight TG classes C40-C48 (19-fold) with only a 6-fold increase in C50-C54. In liver, highly unsaturated TG classes (C56-C64) accounted for 49% of total TG at postnatal d 3 and consisted mainly of arachidonic, docosahexaenoic, and linoleic acids accompanied by palmitic and oleic acids. During early postnatal development, TG species containing one, two, or even three 20-22 EFA may be structurally important themselves or serve as direct substrates for synthesis of phospholipids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Triacylglycerol: an important pool of essential fatty acids during early postnatal development in rats

Developmental changes in the content and composition of major organ lipid pools are not well known. Our objective was to assess quantitatively the changes in lipids, particularly those containing long-chain fatty acids, in the placenta and the brain, liver, and carcass of the fetal and suckling rat. Pregnant dams were killed at days 15, 18, and 21 (term) of pregnancy and the placentas and fetuses removed and analyzed; suckling rats were killed at days +3, +6, and +9 of lactation. Whereas the long-chain fatty acid content of the phospholipids (mg/g) of the fetal or suckling rat remained relatively constant from day 18 of pregnancy to day +9 of lactation, long-chain fatty acids in triacylglycerols increased from prenatal values by 10- to 12-fold during the first 9 postnatal days. Prenatally, triacylglycerol accounted for no more than 32% of total whole body essential fatty acids (day 21), but postnatally this increased to 81-88%. From day 21 to day +9, the proportion of n-6 and n-3 essential fatty acids within the total triacylglycerol pool of the suckling rat increased 71 and 317%, respectively. We conclude that in the suckling rat, triacylglycerol is quantitatively the most important source of essential fatty acids during at least the first 9 days of life.

Linoleoyl-enriched triacylglycerol species increase in maternal liver during late pregnancy in the rat

In view of the previously reported changes in the fatty acid composition of maternal liver triacylglycerols in late pregnancy, changes in the composition of maternal liver triacylglycerol species were assessed in rats fed a semi-purified diet during pregnancy. Between day 18 and day 21 of pregnancy, total maternal liver triacylglycerols increased by 50%. Triacylglycerol species with a total acyl carbon number (C) of 50 or 60 (C50, C60) remained unchanged while C48 and C52-C58 were relatively increased. The individual triacylglycerol species containing one, two or three linoleoyl moieties were incompletely recovered using a polar high temperature gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) column. Nevertheless, at day 21 compared to day 18, the linoleoyl-containing species were relatively increased by 62-463%, while tripalmitin was decreased by 38%. Our data suggest that despite an adequate intake of linoleic acid (25 g/kg in the diet), maternal hepatic triacylglycerol content of linoleic acid decreased during mid-pregnancy but increased significantly toward term possibly in preparation for the transfer of linoleic acid to the neonate during lactation.

Specific types of colonic fermentation may raise low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations

To assess the effects of increased colonic fermentation on serum lipids, eight healthy volunteers were placed on two identical 2-wk metabolic diets, one of which was supplemented with lactulose (18-25 g/d). Lactulose raised day-long concentrations of breath hydrogen and serum glutamine as indicators of increased colonic fermentation by 78 +/- 13% (P less than 0.001) and 24.7 +/- 9.5% (P less than 0.05), respectively). Unexpectedly, however, fasting serum total and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations were higher at 2 wk by 8.9 +/- 1.5% (P less than 0.001), 10.9 +/- 2.2% (P less than 0.005), and 18.9 +/- 5.9% (P less than 0.02), respectively, compared with the control diet. With lactulose, mean free fatty acid concentrations were reduced over the day by 19.5 +/- 5.9% (P less than 0.02), with no change in mean day-long blood glucose, serum insulin, or C-peptide concentrations. We conclude that certain rapidly fermented substrates may raise rather than lower serum lipids, possibly through increasing the amount of acetate absorbed from the colon.

Short-term energy deficit causes net accumulation of linoleoyl-enriched triacylglycerols in rat liver

Energy depletion by reduced food intake over 4 days resulted in a 73% reduction in total rat liver triacylglycerols (TG). In liver TG of energy-depleted rats, dilinoleoyl oleoyl glycerol (OLL) and trilinoleoyl glycerol (LLL) were quantitatively increased by 85% and 147%, respectively. The net increase in linoleoyl-enriched species could be quantitatively accounted for by the release of linoleate from monolinoleoyl species and its subsequent reacylation into dilinoleoyl species and trilinolein during energy depletion. Hence while palmitate, oleate and some linoleate are being hydrolyzed, presumably for oxidation, some linoleate is retained and contributes to the remodelling of hepatic triacylglycerols during energy deficit.

Differential utilization of long chain fatty acids during fasting-induced triacylglycerol depletion. III. Comparison of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in rat plasma and liver

Previous research has shown that arachidonic acid (20:4(n-6)) is preferentially retained in liver triacylglycerol in fasted compared to fed rats consuming a diet containing n-6 fatty acids. It was hypothesized that eicosapentaenoic (20:5(n-3)) and docosahexaneoic acids (22:6(n-3)) would be similarly retained in liver and plasma triacylglycerol of fasted rats consuming a diet containing n-3 fatty acids. In comparison with fed rats, it was observed that in partially fasted rats consuming diets which contained 5% sunflower oil (78% 18:2(n-6)) or 5% marine fish oil (30% 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3)), both liver and plasma had significantly depleted triacylglycerol levels containing higher proportions of both arachidonic and docosahexaneoic acids but a lower proportion of eicosapentaenoic acid (marine fish oil group only). Separation of liver and plasma triacylglycerol by silicic acid column chromatography and silver nitrate TLC showed that the majority of long chain fatty acids utilized during fasting were derived from the triacylglycerol subclasses containing palmitic acid (16:0), palmitoleic acid (16:1(n-7)) and oleic acid (18:1(n-9)) with retention o both highly saturated and polyunsaturated subclasses. Greater utilization of eicosapentaenoic acid than either arachidonic acid or docosahexaenoic acid during fasting may be due to triacylglycerol speciation of the former with readily oxidized monounsaturated fatty acids.

Release of essential fatty acids from the rat mesenteric vascular bed perfused in vitro: modulation by zinc

The rat mesenteric vascular bed releases prostaglandins when perfused in vitro. The present study evaluated the effect of perfusion of the rat mesenteric vascular bed in vitro with a buffer containing 0, 3, 6, or 9 nM of added zinc on the release of essential fatty acids over a 150-min period. Long chain fatty acids in the mesenteric lipids and in total lipid of the perfusion effluent were assayed by gas liquid chromatography. The presence of 6 nM zinc in the perfusing buffer almost completely prevented the change in 16-22 carbon long chain fatty acids in the mesenteric phospholipids and decreased the release of free fatty acids in comparison to that occurring in the absence of additional zinc. The results suggest that physiological amounts of zinc in the perfusion medium reduce the release of essential fatty acid from rat mesenteric lipids.

Metabolic effects of reducing rate of glucose ingestion by single bolus versus continuous sipping

Modifying the rate of absorption has been proposed as a therapeutic principle of specific relevance to diabetes. To demonstrate clearly the metabolic benefits that might result from reducing the rate of nutrient delivery, nine healthy volunteers took 50 g glucose in 700 ml water on two occasions: over 5-10 min (bolus) and at a constant rate over 3.5 h (sipping). Despite similar 4-h blood glucose areas, large reductions were seen in serum insulin (54 +/- 10%, P less than 0.001) and C-peptide (47 +/- 12%, P less than 0.01) areas after sipping, together with lower gastric inhibitory polypeptide and enteroglucagon levels and urinary catecholamine output. There was also prolonged suppression of plasma glucagon, growth hormone, and free-fatty acid (FFA) levels after sipping, whereas these levels rose 3-4 h after the glucose bolus. An intravenous glucose tolerance test at 4 h demonstrated a 48 +/- 10% (P less than 0.01) more rapid decline in blood glucose (Kg) after sipping than after the bolus. Furthermore, FFA and total branched-chain amino acid levels as additional markers of insulin action were lower over this period despite similar absolute levels of insulin and C-peptide. These findings indicate that prolonging the rate of glucose absorption enhances insulin economy and glucose disposal.

Long-chain fatty acid composition of maternal liver lipids during pregnancy and lactation in the rat: comparison of triglyceride to phospholipid

The change in long-chain fatty acid composition in maternal liver was studied during pregnancy and lactation in the rat. Maternal liver triglycerides and phospholipids transiently accumulated and were depleted of long-chain fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation. During pregnancy, maternal liver accumulated triglyceride, but triglyceride fatty acid composition changed little. However, maternal liver total phospholipid fatty acid composition changed significantly without a change in the total pool size throughout pregnancy or lactation. The change in composition of (n-3) and (n-6) essential fatty acids in maternal liver triglyceride and total phospholipid occurred in an apparently dyssynchronous manner throughout pregnancy and lactation.