Effects of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on brain gene expression

Abstract

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are essential structural components of the central nervous system. Their role in controlling learning and memory has been well documented. A nutrigenomic approach with high-density microarrays was used to reveal brain gene-expression changes in response to different PUFA-enriched diets in rats. In aged rats fed throughout life with PUFA-enriched diets, genes with altered expressions included transthyretin, ␣-synuclein, and calmodulins, which play important roles in synaptic plasticity and learning. The effect of perinatal omega-3 PUFA supply on gene expression later in life also was studied. Several genes showed similar changes in expression in rats fed omega-3-deficient diets in the perinatal period, regardless of whether they or their mothers were fed omega-3 PUFA-sufficient diets after giving birth. In this experiment, among the down-regulated genes were a kainate glutamate receptor and a DEAD-box polypeptide. Among the up-regulated genes were a chemokine-like factor, a tumor necrosis factor receptor, and cytochrome c. The possible involvement of the genes with altered expression attributable to different diets in different brain regions in young and aged rats and the possible mode of regulatory action of PUFA also are discussed. We conclude that PUFA-enriched diets lead to significant changes in expression of several genes in the central nervous tissue, and these effects appear to be mainly independent of their effects on membrane composition. The direct effects of PUFA on transcriptional modulators, the downstream developmentally and tissue-specifically activated elements might be one of the clues to understanding the beneficial effects of the omega-3 PUFA on the nervous system.

Responses to n-3 fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation of gestating gilts, and lactating and weaned sows

“…Immunoglobulin G (IgG) in colostrum is the main source of antibodies that boosts the neonatal pigs' passive immune system, and colostral IgG concentrations were greater in sows fed a n-3 LCPUFA rich diet (Mateo et al, 2009) and fatty acids influenced the expression of immune related genes (Jump and Clarke, 1999;Kitajka et al, 2004). CON LCPUFA Figure 3 Overall relationship between sow energy input from body tissue mobilization during the last 7 days of lactation (Wn-7 5 7 days before weaning; Wn 5 weaning) and (a) adjusted (by day of gestation) embryo weight, and (b) average daily gain (ADG) of the litter, for sows fed standard gestation and lactation diets with (long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA)) or without (control (CON)) 84 g/day of a LCPUFA rich supplement from day 60 of first gestation onwards.…”

Impact of nutrition on canine behaviour: current status and possible mechanisms

“…In addition to the observed changes in the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in different brain regions, physical properties (for example, fluidity, permeability) of cerebral membranes may also mediate dietary effects on cognition and behaviour 99 . For example, chronic dietary deficiency in n-3 PUFA resulted in low concentrations of n-3 PUFA in the rat brain 76,77 whereas diets high in EPA and DHA resulted in high concentrations of EPA and DHA in the brain of rats 85,100,101 .…”

Nutrigenomics for Global Health: Ethical Challenges for Underserved Populations

“…Nevertheless, it must be stressed that other nutrigenomics studies -mostly preclinical -7 focus on the interactions between specific nutrients, gene expression (including agerelated gene-expression alteration) and synaptic plasticity, cognitive development, and brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease or, more recently, Down syndrome [25][26][27]]. …”

“…As such, nutrigenomics targets apparently healthy individuals with genetic predispositions for specific diseases or health conditions, but also patients in whom a chronic disease has already appeared. Thus, for instance, some authors argue that nutrigenomics could eventually allow us to give specific nutritional advice to population groups in which the frequency of a deleterious mutation is high [23, p. 459].Authors even anticipate the use of gene therapy in the field of nutrigenomics, arguing that "recombinant genes might also be implanted in people to better adapt them to a given diet" or to prevent certain deficiencies resulting from genes-nutrition interactions[24].The most targeted diseases or health conditions in nutrigenomics research are notably various forms of cancer, diabetes, obesity, gut disorders, and cardiovascular diseases.Nevertheless, it must be stressed that other nutrigenomics studies -mostly preclinical -7 focus on the interactions between specific nutrients, gene expression (including agerelated gene-expression alteration) and synaptic plasticity, cognitive development, and brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease or, more recently, Down syndrome [25][26][27]]. …”