title: Maternal Diet Enriched with α-Linolenic or Saturated Fatty Acids Differentially Regulates Gene Expression in the Liver of Mouse Offspring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lipid metabolic disarray in the liver of young and adult mice offspring is induced by saturated fatty acids (SFA) but prevented by α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 ω–3) in the maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation. The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of maternal dietary ALA compared to an SFA diet on the liver gene expression in the newborn offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57Bl6/J dams were fed with diets normal in calories but rich in ALA or SFA before mating and during pregnancy. Pups were sacrificed at birth and liver parameters were assessed. Gene expression was characterized by microarray analysis and validated by real-time quantitative PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ALA, compared to SFA, in maternal diets during pregnancy increased polyunsaturated fatty acids, while it differentially modified fatty acid desaturase activities in offspring liver. Overall, 474 and 662 genes from the liver of newborn pups were differentially regulated by ALA and SFA compared to control diet (p < 0.05; fold change 2), respectively. Notably, Per3 was upregulated by ALA, whereas it was downregulated by SFA, compared to control diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALA- and SFA-enriched diets differentially affect the gene expression pattern in the offspring's liver. ALA, in particular, upregulates genes associated with low adiposity.
authors.affiliation: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Sheba, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leikin-Frenkel
authors.forename: Limor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shomonov-Wagner
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juknat
authors.forename: Metsada
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasmanik-Chor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid