title: Maternal dietary n-3 fatty acids alter immune cell fatty acid composition and leukotriene production in growing chicks.
abstract: The effect of feeding different amounts of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (FA) to hens on immune tissue FA composition and leukotriene production of hatched chicks was investigated. Hens were fed diets supplemented with either 3.0% sunflower oil (Diet I), 1.5% sunflower+1.5% fish oil (Diet II), or 3.0% fish oil (Diet III) for 46 days. The hatched chicks were fed a diet containing C18:3n-3, but devoid of longer chain n-6 and n-3 FA, for 21 days. Spleen docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content was higher in chicks from hens fed Diet III (P<0.05). The bursa content of arachidonic acid was lower in chicks hatched from hens fed Diet III (P<0.05), and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 FA was significantly higher in bursa of chicks hatched to hens fed Diet I (P<0.05). Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA contents were higher in bursa of chicks hatched from hens fed Diet III (P<0.05). Thrombocytes from chicks hatched to hens fed Diet III produced the most leukotriene B(5) (LTB(5)). The ratio of LTB(5) to LTB(4) concentrations was also highest (P<0.05) in chicks hatched to hens fed Diet III. These results indicate that modulating maternal dietary n-6 and n-3 FA may alter leukotriene production in chicks, which could lead to less inflammatory-related disorders in poultry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Dryden Hall 206, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Jean.Hall@oregonstate.edu
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cherian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000737:chemistry; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D015289:Leukotrienes; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; C040212:leukotriene B5; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid