Effects of n–3 Supplementation on Plasma and Liver Phospholipid Fatty Acids Profile in Aged Wistar Rats

Abstract

Abstract. The effects of fish oil supplementation in Wistar rats are focused on cardiovascular, endocrine, metabolic and antioxidant status changes. We determined plasma and liver phospholipid fatty acids (FAs) status and plasma lipid concentrations in aged Wistar rats. Our results showed differences in plasma and liver FAs profiles as well as plasma chlolesterol (CHOL), triglicerides (TG), high density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), CHOL/HDL ratio (risk factor for atherosclerosis) and LDL/HDL ratio (risk for cardiovascular diseases) between treated and control group of animals. In fish oil treated group there were statistically significant changes in FAs profile in increasing linoleic acid (LA), dihomo-γ linoleic acid, eicopentanoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and decreasing in arachidonic acid (AA) concentration. Also, liver phospholipids FAs results showed increasing concentrations of vascenic acid, LA, EPA, and DPA and decreasing concentration of AA after supplementation of fish oil compared to control group. However, concentrations of CHOL, LDL and non HDL concentrations decreased while HDL increased in fish oil group. CHOL/HDL, LDL/HDL ratios decreased. These findings suggest that long term treatment of fish oil in aged Wistar rats can be beneficial in decreasing LDL, and decreasing risk factors for developing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. (doi: 10.5562/cca1751)

Effect of dietary eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid on expression of rat liver genes controlling cholesterol homeostasis and on plasma cholesterol level

“…The same is true regarding plasma LDL-C in the present experiment (0.75 mmol/l; Figure 2): the results of the similar experiments with the FO-fed rats are between 1.84 mmol/l (Xiao et al 2012) and 0.23 mmol/l (Popovic et al 2011), the value reported by Campioli et al 2012 (0.81 mmol/l) being very similar to our data.…”

“…Plasma cholesterol. Plasma TC level of the FOfed rats in the present experiment (1.07 mmol/l; Figure 2) is approximately in the middle of the range of the results of similar experiments (FO-fed rats; all data recalculated to mmol/l): 3.22 (Lu et al 2011) → 2.45 (Ferramosca et al 2012) → 2.36 (Xiao et al 2012) → 2.04 (Campioli et al 2012) → 1.01 (Yamazaki et al 2011) → 0.98 (Takahashi 2011) → 0.54 (Popovic et al 2011).…”

“…Published data regarding HDL-C also vary conspicuously between 1.11 mmol/l (Ferramosca et al 2012) and 0.17 mmol/l (Popovic et al 2011), with the level found in the present experiment (0.35 mmol/l) approximately in the middle.…”

“…Both Yamazaki et al (2011) and Campioli et al (2012) did not find a difference in plasma HDL-C in the FO-fed and the control rats, similarly to our data. On the other hand, Popovic et al (2011) and Xiao et al (2012) reported an increase of this marker in the rat plasma after FO intake. Contrary to the above-mentioned results, Takahashi (2011) found a decrease of this parameter from 1.56 mmol/l (palm oil-fed rats) to 0.58 mmol/l (FO group).…”

Fatty Acid Composition and Oxidative Stress Parameters in Plasma after Fish Oil Supplementation in Aging

“…8 The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) is a normal process in the life of aerobic organisms; in fact, ROS and RNS are continually produced as a consequence of aerobic metabolism: up to 5 % of oxygen reacting with the respiratory chain is incompletely reduced to ROS. 9 Aging process is remarkably slow, indicating that even the aged animals or elderly have adopted a nearly stable state of redox homeostasis. 3 The inverse correlation found between the lifespan and n-6/n-3 ratio in membrane phospholipids, suggest different effects of n-6 and n-3 PUFA in living systems.…”