title: Maternal prenatal omega-3 fatty acid supplementation attenuates hyperoxia-induced apoptosis in the developing rat brain.
abstract: Supraphysiologic amounts of oxygen negatively influences brain maturation and development. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether maternal ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-3 FA) supplementation during pregnancy protects the developing brain against hyperoxic injury. Thirty-six rat pups from six different dams were divided into six groups according to the diet modifications and hyperoxia exposure. The groups were: a control group (standard diet+room air), a hyperoxia group (standard diet+80% O₂ exposure), a hyperoxia+high-dose ω-3 FA-supplemented group, a hyperoxia+low-dose ω-3 FA-supplemented group, a room air+low-dose ω-3 FA-supplemented+group, and a room air+high dose ω-3 FA-supplemented group. The ω-3 FA's were supplemented as a mixture of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) from the second day of pregnancy until birth. Rat pups in the hyperoxic groups were exposed to 80% oxygen from birth until postnatal day 5 (P5). At P5, all animals were sacrificed. Neuronal cell death and apoptosis were evaluated by cell count, TUNEL, and active Caspase-3 immunohistochemistry. Histopathological examination showed that maternally ω-3 FA deficient diet and postnatal hyperoxia exposure were associated with significantly lower neuronal counts and significantly higher apoptotic cell death in the selected brain regions. Ω-3 FA treatment significantly diminished apoptosis, in the selected brain regions, in a dose dependent manner. Our results suggest that the maternal ω-3 FA supply may protect the developing brain against hyperoxic injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, School of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tuzun
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumral
authors.forename: Seda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozbal
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dilek
authors.forename: Kazım
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tugyan
authors.forename: Nuray
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Duman
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozkan
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000473:pathology*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D053148:Caspase 3