title: Fish oil modifies effect of high cholesterol diet on intestinal absorption in diabetic rats.
abstract: Omega-3 fatty acids ('fish oil') reduce the intestinal absorption of glucose and lipids in normal and in diabetic rats, but their effect is altered by the presence of saturated or poly-unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids in the diet. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that the influence of fish oil on the intestinal uptake of nutrients in diabetic rats is also influenced by the cholesterol content of the diet. Streptozotocin diabetic rats were raised for 2 wk on semisynthetic diets in which the lipid composition was derived mainly from beef tallow (BT), beef tallow plus cholesterol (BTC), fish oil (FO), or fish oil plus cholesterol (FOC). Food intake and weight gain was similar in the 4 diet groups, although the fasting blood glucose was lowest in diabetic rats fed BT. Cholesterol supplementation increased intestinal wall and mucosal weights when fed with BT, but the opposite effect was seen with FO, with lower wall and mucosal mass with FOC than with FO. Ileal uptake of D-glucose was lower in FO than in BT or FOC. Cholesterol feeding was associated with enhanced jejunal uptake of cholesterol when fed with BT, but the converse was observed with FO. Thus, 1) the reduction of glucose absorption associated with feeding fish oil is blunted in the presence of a supplemented intake of cholesterol; and 2) a fish oil diet reduces cholesterol uptake even in the presence of a high level of dietary cholesterol. It remains to be established what is the optimal ratio of dietary saturated, polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and cholesterol required to normalize intestinal transport function in diabetic rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keelan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Rajotte
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Clandinin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007444:Inulin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008871:Microvilli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D014316:Tritium; D007444:Inulin; D005947:Glucose