title: Distribution of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the whole rat body and 25 compartments.
abstract: The steady state compositions of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) throughout the various viscera and tissues within the whole body of rats have not previously been described in a comprehensive manner. Dams consumed diets containing 10wt% fat (15% linoleate and 3% α-linolenate). Male offspring (n=9) at 7-week of age were euthanized and dissected into 25 compartments. Total lipid fatty acids for each compartment were quantified by GC/FID and summed for the rat whole body; total n-6 PUFA was 12wt% and total n-3 PUFA was 2.1% of total fatty acids. 18:2n-6 accounted for 84% of the total n-6 PUFA, 20:4n-6 was 12%, 18:3n-3 was 59% of the total n-3 PUFA, 20:5n-3 was 2.1%, and 22:6n-3 was 32%. The white adipose tissue contained the greatest amounts of 18:2n-6 (1.5g) and 18:3n-3 (0.2g). 20:4n-6 was highest in muscle (60mg) and liver (57mg), while 22:6n-3 was greatest in muscle (46mg), followed by liver (27mg) and carcass (20mg). In terms of fatty acid composition expressed as a percentage, 18:2n-6 was the highest in the heart (13wt%), while 18:3n-3 was about 1.3wt% for skin, white adipose tissue and fur. 20:4n-6 was highest (21-25wt%) in the circulation, kidney, and spleen, while 22:6n-3 was highest in the brain (12wt%), followed by the heart (7.9wt%), liver (5.9wt%), and spinal cord (5.1wt%). Selectivity was greatest when comparing 22:6n-3 in brain (12%) to white adipose (0.08%) (68-fold) and 22:5n-6 in testes (15.6%) compared to white adipose (0.02%), 780-fold.
authors.affiliation: Section of Nutritional Neuroscience Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry & Biophysics, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.affiliation: Section of Nutritional Neuroscience Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry & Biophysics, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States. Electronic address: yuhong.lin@nih.gov.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Life Science, Azabu University, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moriguchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Marine Environment & Bioscience, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Lipids, DSM Nutritional Products Inc., Columbia, MD, United States.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.affiliation: Section of Nutritional Neuroscience Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry & Biophysics, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hibbeln
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6
keywords: Alpha-linolenic acid; Arachidonic acid; Docosahaexenoic acid; Linoleic acid; n−3; n−6