Docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid prevent essential fatty acid deficiency and hepatic steatosis.
OBJECTIVE
Essential fatty acids are important for growth, development, and physiologic function. α-Linolenic acid and linoleic acid are the precursors of docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid, respectively, and have traditionally been considered the essential fatty acids. However, the authors hypothesized that docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid can function as the essential fatty acids.


METHODS
Using a murine model of essential fatty acid deficiency and consequent hepatic steatosis, the authors provided mice with varying amounts of docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids to determine whether exclusive supplementation of docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids could prevent essential fatty acid deficiency and inhibit or attenuate hepatic steatosis.


RESULTS
Mice supplemented with docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids at 2.1% or 4.2% of their calories for 19 days had normal liver histology and no biochemical evidence of essential fatty acid deficiency, which persisted when observed after 9 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Supplementation of sufficient amounts of docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids alone without α-linolenic and linoleic acids meets essential fatty acid requirements and prevents hepatic steatosis in a murine model.
Department of Surgery and the Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Hau D
HD
Le
Jonathan A
JA
Meisel
Vincent E
VE
de Meijer
Erica M
EM
Fallon
Kathleen M
KM
Gura
Vania
V
Nose
Bruce R
BR
Bistrian
Mark
M
Puder
D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000074263:Coconut Oil; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000172:deficiency*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage
D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D010938:Plant Oils; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D000074263:Coconut Oil