title: Arachidonic acid concentrations in plasma and liver phospholipid and cholesterol esters of piglets raised on formulas with different linoleic and linolenic acid contents.
abstract: The influence of sow milk or infant formulas containing 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 (% fatty acids) at 30/1, 16/1, 35/4, or 16/4 on plasma and liver phospholipid (PL) and cholesterol ester (CE) arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) was studied in piglets fed from birth for 15 d. Piglets fed the 35/4, 16/1, and 16/4 formulas had a significantly lower percentage of plasma 20:4n-6 in PL than did piglets fed sow milk or the 30/1 formula. The lowest plasma PL 20:4n-6 was in the 16/4 group, the only group in which liver PL 20:4n-6 was significantly reduced. This suggests competitive inhibition of synthesis or acylation of 20:4n-6 when formula with a high content of 18:3n-3 is fed in conjunction with a low content of 18:2n-6. The percentage of plasma CE 20:4n-6 was not altered by formula feeding. In contrast, the liver CE 20:4n-6 was significantly lower in all formula-fed animals than it was in sow-milk-fed animals. These studies confirm that 20:4n-6 metabolism is altered in artificially fed neonates. Liver and plasma cholesterol concentrations were also significantly lower in all formula-fed than in milk-fed piglets. The potential relationship of the decrease in cholesterol to n-6 fatty acids in CE is unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Rioux
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Innis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008042:Linolenic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D008042:Linolenic Acids; D010743:Phospholipids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol; D019787:Linoleic Acid