title: DIETARY RATIOS OF N-6/N-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS DURING MATERNAL PREGNANCY AFFECT HIPPOCAMPAL NEUROGENESIS AND APOPTOSIS IN MOUSE OFFSPRING.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  although n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play crucial roles in brain development and function, neither the optimal level of n-3 PUFAs nor the optimal ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs in the maternal diet are well defined. In this study, we investigated the effects of dietary n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios during pregnancy on neurogenesis and apoptosis in the brains of mouse offspring. Metods: female C57BL/6J mice were fed one of three diets with high, medium and low ratios of n-6/n-3 PUFAs (15.7:1, 6.3:1, 1.6:1), as well as a high fish oil diet with a n-6/n-3 ratio of 1:5.7; an n-3 PUFA-deficient diet served as control. The feeding regimens began two months before mouse conception and continued for the duration of the pregnancy. The neurogenesis and apoptosis of hippocampal CA3 area in the offspring were detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  compared to the n-3 PUFA-deficient diet, n-3 PUFA-containing diets, particularly those with n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios of 6.3:1 and 1.6:1, significantly increased both phosphorylation of histone H3 at ser 10 (p-H3ser10) and calretinin-positive cells in hippocampus CA3 of the offspring. Furthermore, increased expression of Bcl2 protein, decreased expression of Bax protein, and reduced caspase 3 activity and numbers of TUNEL apoptotic cells were found in the three diets with high, medium and low n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios. However, there were no differences in any of these parameters between the high fish oil diet group and the n-3 PUFA-deficient diet group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  these data suggest that a higher intake of n-3 PUFAs with a lower ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs of between about 6:1 to 1:1, supplied to mothers during pregnancy, may benefit brain neurogenesis and apoptosis in offspring. However, excessive maternal intake of n-3 PUFAs may exert a negative influence on brain development in the offspring.
authors: Nutrition Research Unit, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing (China).. qikemin@bch.com.cn.
authors: Chaonan
authors: C
authors: Fan
authors: Institute of Human Nutrition, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York (USA).. qikemin@bch.com.cn.
authors: Wenfei
authors: W
authors: Sun
authors: Nutrition Research Unit, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing (China).. qikemin@bch.com.cn.
authors: Huicong
authors: H
authors: Fu
authors: Nutrition Research Unit, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing (China).. qikemin@bch.com.cn.
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Dong
authors: Nutrition Research Unit, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing (China).. qikemin@bch.com.cn.
authors: Lulu
authors: L
authors: Xia
authors: Nutrition Research Unit, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing (China).. qikemin@bch.com.cn.
authors: Yuanyuan
authors: Y
authors: Lu
authors: Institute of Human Nutrition, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York (USA).. qikemin@bch.com.cn.
authors: Richard J
authors: RJ
authors: Deckelbaum
authors: Nutrition Research Unit, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing (China).. qikemin@bch.com.cn.
authors: Kemin
authors: K
authors: Qi
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D055495:Neurogenesis; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D053148:Caspase 3