Heart arachidonic acid is uniquely sensitive to dietary arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid content in domestic piglets

Abstract

This study determined the sensitivity of heart and brain arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to the dietary ARA level in a dose-response design with constant, high DHA in neonatal piglets. On day 3 of age, pigs were assigned to 1 of 6 dietary formulas varying in ARA/DHA as follows (% fatty acid, FA/FA): (A1) 0.1/1.0; (A2) 0.53/1.0; (A3-D3) 0.69/1.0; (A4) 1.1/1.0; (D2) 0.67/0.62; (D1) 0.66/0.33. At necropsy (day 28) higher levels of dietary ARA were associated with increased heart and liver ARA, while brain ARA remained unaffected. Dietary ARA had no effect on tissue DHA accretion. Heart was particularly sensitive, with pigs in the intermediate groups having different ARA (A2, 18.6 ± 0.7%; A3, 19.4 ± 1.0%) and a 0.17% increase in dietary ARA resulted in a 0.84% increase in heart ARA. Further investigations are warranted to determine the clinical significance of heart ARA status in developing neonates.

Plasma oxylipin profiling identifies polyunsaturated vicinal diols as responsive to arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid intake in growing piglets

“…In perinatal development, COX-catalyzed PGE 2 is an important lipid metabolite not only in immune cell homeostasis ( 45 ) but also in intestinal crypt proliferation ( 45 ) and preservation of neural function ( 46 ). Results of this study in growing piglets demonstrate that increasing dietary ARA levels do not affect plasma concentrations of the LOX-or COXsynthesized ARA metabolites, including PGE 2 , in spite of the increased levels of ARA in plasma and tissue ( 18 ). Also, plasma infl ammation markers remained unchanged by increasing dietary ARA, as was previously reported ( 47 ).…”

“…Details of the experimental methods have been described elsewhere ( 18 ). Briefl y, piglets aged three days postnatal, were randomly assigned to receive one of six formula diets or to continue information, and structures of diols detected in piglet plas ma.…”

“…Formula diets consisted of 60% experimental diet (Research Diets, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ) and 40% Birthright baby pig milk replacer (Ralco Nutrition, Inc., Marshall, MN). The composition of the formula diets has been previously reported ( 18 ). Formula diets had a caloric density of 0.7 kcal/ml.…”

“…Details have been described elsewhere ( 18 ). Plasma levels of free fatty acids were analyzed by LC-MS/MS.…”

Higher efficacy of dietary DHA provided as a phospholipid than as a triglyceride for brain DHA accretion in neonatal piglets

“…Fresh formula was provided every 6 h for the fi rst week and every 8 h thereafter in individual troughs as in our previous studies ( 23,24 ). All piglets had free access to fresh water.…”