n-3 Essential fatty acids decrease weight gain in genetically obese mice.
1. Lean (ln/ln) and obese (ob/ob) mice were given diets containing a fat source of 100 g evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) oil (fatty acids 18:2n-6, 18:3n-6; EPO) or 100 g cod liver oil (20:5n-3, 22:6n-3; CLO)/kg diet. 2. Weight gain was lower in the ob/ob mice fed on CLO, an effect unrelated to food intake. 3. In the ob/ob mice fed on CLO, thromboxane synthesis by clotting platelets was reduced compared with that in ob/ob mice fed on EPO. 4. The ob/ob CLO-fed mice had lower arachidonic acid but higher levels of n-3 fatty acids in liver, brown adipose tissue and white adipose tissue. 5. The n-3 fatty acids in CLO therefore replaced the n-6 fatty acids in tissue lipids and reduced synthesis of '2 series' prostaglandins in addition to causing lower weight gain in the CLO-fed ob/ob mice.
Cunnane
S C
SC
Efamol Research Institute, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada.
McAdoo
K R
KR
Horrobin
D F
DF
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000097:blood
D005227:Fatty Acids; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D008055:Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D013929:Thromboxane B2