Age dependent incorporation of 14C-DHA into rat brain and body tissues after dosing various 14C-DHA-esters.
BACKGROUND
The omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) accounts for 10% of fatty acids in human brain and is critical for neuronal function and brain development. Mechanisms of transport, accumulation and conservation of DHA in the brain are unclear. The objective of the study was to quantify the age dependent DHA incorporation into the brain of 2-, 4- or 10-week-old rats after a bolus dose of different DHA-esters.


METHODS
Rats were gavaged with (14)C-DHA-TAG, (14)C-DHA-PL or (14)C-DHA-TAG+PL at 2 mg DHA/kg BW. After 24h the distribution of radioactivity in body and brain regions was determined using quantitative whole body autoradiography (QWBA). Radiolabeled compounds were extracted from the brains to determine the identity of the radiolabeled compounds.


RESULTS
Accumulation of orally ingested (14)C-DHA in rat brain was less than 1% of the dose and decreased with age. Ester specific differences were seen only in 10-week-old rats, where oral (14)C-DHA-PL delivered a 2-fold higher accretion of radioactivity in the brain.


CONCLUSIONS
Less than 1% of a dietary achievable DHA dose reached the rat brain within 24h. Optimal efficacy of DHA-PL may occur in older age groups.
Graf
B A
BA
Unilever R&D Vlaardingen, PO Box 114, 3130AC Vlaardingen, The Netherlands. brigitte.graf@unilever.com
Duchateau
G S M J E
GS
Patterson
A B
AB
Mitchell
E S
ES
van Bruggen
P
P
Koek
J H
JH
Melville
S
S
Verkade
H J
HJ
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids