title: Modifying the n-3 fatty acid content of the maternal diet to determine the requirements of the fetal and suckling rat.
abstract: During perinatal development, docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) accumulates extensively in membrane phospholipids of the nervous system. To evaluate the n-3 fatty acid requirements of fetal and suckling rats, we investigated the accumulation of 22:6n-3 in the brain and liver of pup rats from birth to day 14 postpartum when their dams received increasing amounts of dietary 18:3n-3 (from 5 to 800 mg/100 g diet) during the pregnancy-lactation period. The fatty acid composition of brain and liver phospholipids of pups, as well as that of dam's milk, was determined. At birth, 22:6n-3 increased regularly to reach the highest level when the maternal diet contained 800 mg 18:3n-3/100 g. On days 7 and 14 postpartum, brain 22:6n-3 plateaued at a maternal dietary supply of 200 mg/100 g. Docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-6) had the opposite temporal pattern. The unusually high concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) in liver and dam's milk observed at the highest 18:3n-3 intake suggests an excessive dietary supply of this fatty acid. All these data suggest that the n-3 fatty acid requirements of the pregnant rat are around 400 mg 18:3n-3 and those of the lactating rat at 200 mg (i.e., 0.9 and 0.45% of dietary energy, respectively). The values of 18:3n-3 and 22:6n-3 milk content which allowed brain 22:6n-3 to reach a plateau value in suckling pups were 1% of total fatty acids and 0.9% (colostrum) to 0.2% (mature milk), respectively. These levels are similar to those recommended for infant formulas.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Laboratoire de Nutrition et Sécurité Alimentaire, CRJ, Jouy-en-Josas cédex, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guesnet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alasnier
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Alessandri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Durand
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008055:Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids