Parenteral feeding alters the fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids of rabbits.
BACKGROUND
Cholestatic liver disease develops in 30% to 70% of neonates receiving total parental nutrition (TPN). We analyzed the fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids from control and TPN-fed rabbits to determine if TPN altered the fatty acid profile.


METHODS
Eleven male New Zealand White rabbits aged 9 to 11 weeks received TPN, whereas 11 other rabbits were offered standard laboratory rabbit chow ad libitum. After 14 days on the prescribed diet, serum samples were analyzed for their phospholipid fatty acid content by gas chromatography.


RESULTS
The proportions of palmitolenic (16:2n7), alpha-linolenic (18:3n3), arachidic (20:0), and eicosaenoic (20:1n9) acids were significantly lower in the serum phospholipids of the TPN-fed animals compared with the control group. The proportion of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3), a fatty acid that is critical to the development of the nervous system, was increased two- to threefold.


CONCLUSIONS
The differences in proportions of fatty acids observed between control and TPN-fed animals indicate that a fatty acid elongation and desaturation pathways are perturbed in rabbits on TPN.
Moss
R L
RL
Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA.
Enomoto
T M
TM
Haynes
A
A
Fry
D E
DE
Glew
R H
RH
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004573:Electrolytes; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood; D005526:Food, Formulated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D005947:Glucose; D008297:Male; D010169:Palmitic Acids / Q000097:blood; D057947:Parenteral Nutrition Solutions; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D011817:Rabbits; D012996:Solutions
D000596:Amino Acids; D004573:Electrolytes; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous; D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010169:Palmitic Acids; D057947:Parenteral Nutrition Solutions; D010743:Phospholipids; D012996:Solutions; C545824:amino-acid, glucose, and electrolyte solution; D005947:Glucose