Does perinatal omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid deficiency increase appetite signaling?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of maternal dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) deficiency and repletion on food appetite signaling.


METHODS
Sprague-Dawley rat dams were maintained on diets either supplemented with (CON) or deficient in (DEF) omega-3 PUFA. All offspring were raised on the maternal diet until weaning. After weaning, two groups remained on the respective maternal diet (CON and DEF groups), whereas a third group, born of dams fed the DEF diet, were switched to the CON diet (REC). Experiments on food intake began when the male rats reached 16 weeks of age. Food intake was stimulated either by a period of food restriction, by blocking glucose utilization (by 2-deoxyglucose injection), or by blocking beta-oxidation of fatty acids (by beta-mercaptoacetate injection).


RESULTS
DEF animals consumed more than CON animals in response to all stimuli, with the greatest difference (1.9-fold) demonstrated following administration of 2-deoxyglucose. REC animals also consumed more than CON animals in response to food restriction and 2-deoxyglucose but not to beta-mercaptoacetate.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that supply of omega-3 PUFA, particularly during the perinatal period, plays a role in the normal development of mechanisms controlling food intake, especially glucoprivic (i.e. reduced glucose availability) appetite signaling. Dietary repletion of omega-3 PUFA from 3 weeks of age restored intake responses to fatty acid metabolite signaling but did not reverse those in response to food restriction or glucoprivic stimuli.
Mathai
Michael L
ML
Howard Florey Institute, University of Melbourne, 3010 Victoria, Australia. m.mathai@hfi.unimelb.edu.au
Soueid
Mona
M
Chen
Nora
N
Jayasooriya
Anura P
AP
Sinclair
Andrew J
AJ
Wlodek
Mary E
ME
Weisinger
Harrison S
HS
Weisinger
Richard S
RS
D000818:Animals; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014886:Weaning
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D010743:Phospholipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D003847:Deoxyglucose