Menhaden fish oil, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and protection of newborn rats from oxygen toxicity.
We have previously reported that newborn rats born to mothers fed a high n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (safflower oil) diet demonstrated increased n-6 PUFA in lung lipids and superior tolerance to high oxygen exposure. In the present study, we explored whether high n-3 PUFA might also protect against hyperoxic damage and by what mechanism. Adult female rats were fed either regular rat chow, a high n-3 (menhaden fish oil-based) diet, or a high n-6 (safflower oil-based) diet for 6 wk before and then throughout pregnancy and lactation. Newborn offspring of the high n-3 (fish oil) dams demonstrated increased n-3 PUFA (i.e. eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid) and decreased n-6 PUFA (i.e. linoleic and arachidonic acid) in their lung lipids compared to the other two diet groups. The high n-6 (safflower oil) offspring had the opposite PUFA lung lipid pattern (with increases in total n-6 fatty acids and decreases in total n-3 fatty acids). The high n-3 offspring demonstrated markedly decreased lung levels of prostaglandin E2, F2 alpha and thromboxane B2, whereas the high n-6 offspring had higher eicosanoid levels than the regular diet offspring. Offspring of both high n-6 and high n-3 diet dams demonstrated essentially the same superior hyperoxic tolerance compared to regular diet offspring [7-d (greater than 95% O2) survival rates of 110/115 and 99/109, respectively, versus 70/91, p less than 0.01].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sosenko
I R
IR
Division of Neonatology Research, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33101.
Innis
S M
SM
Frank
L
L
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012450:Safflower Oil / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D008055:Lipids; D010938:Plant Oils; C033266:Menhaden oil; D012450:Safflower Oil; D010100:Oxygen