title: The content of docosahexaenoic acid in the maternal diet differentially affects the immune response in lactating dams and suckled offspring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding a maternal diet supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) while also containing adequate amounts of arachidonic acid on immune system development and function in suckled offspring and lactating rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley dams were randomized to one of the two nutritionally adequate experimental diets 24-48 h prior to parturition: control diet (N = 12, 0 % DHA) or high DHA diet (N = 8, 0.9 % DHA of total fatty acids). Diets were fed throughout the lactating/suckling period (21 days), and then, dams and pups were terminated, and immune cell phenotypes and cytokine production by mitogen- or ovalbumin-stimulated splenocytes were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Feeding dams a high DHA diet resulted in a higher proportion of 18:3n-3, 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 found in pup's stomach content (breast milk; P < 0.01). Feeding the high DHA diet had no impact on growth parameters or the ex vivo cytokine production by mitogen-stimulated splenocytes in both dams and pups. There was a higher proportion of OX12+CD80+ cells and a lower production of TGF-β by splenocytes after ovalbumin stimulation in pups from dams fed the DHA diet (both P < 0.05) while maintaining a similar IL-2 production. LPS-stimulated splenocytes from dams fed the high DHA diet produced more TNF-α versus control diet (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, our results suggest that DHA supplementation in the maternal diet does not change the immune response to mitogens but positively affects the activation of B cells as well as the response to a potential food antigen upon challenge in suckled offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-126A Li Ka Shing Center for Health Research Innovation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-126A Li Ka Shing Center for Health Research Innovation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.
authors.forename: Erin D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-126A Li Ka Shing Center for Health Research Innovation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goruk
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-126A Li Ka Shing Center for Health Research Innovation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada. catherine.field@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Field
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects*; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid
keywords: Development; Immune system; Lactation; Offspring; Spleen