Biomaterial Database

Increasing dietary linoleic acid in young rats increases and then decreases docosahexaenoic acid in retina but not in brain. 1996

H M Su, and L A Keswick, and J T Brenna

Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.

The accumulation of fatty acids in retina, brain, liver, and plasma of 30-day-old rat pups consuming various levels of linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6) and constant alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n-3) is reported. Dams were fed graded levels of LA during gestation and lactation, and the pups were maintained on the diet of their dams until the end of the brain growth spurt at 30 d of life. Milk, and pup brain, retina, liver, and plasma were analyzed quantitatively for fatty acid profile. The percentage of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) in retina increased from an LA-deficient dietary level, peaked at the 9:1 (LA/ALA) level, then fell for the 41:1 and 69:1 levels. In contrast, the brain DHA percentage was unaffected by dietary LA levels. Retinal unsaturated fatty acid levels paralleled liver and plasma levels. The milk fatty acid composition mirrored the diets. These data show that the retinal fatty acid composition responds sensitively to dietary fatty acid composition, similar to liver and plasma, while the brain unsaturate composition is nearly independent of dietary composition.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008041	Linoleic Acids	Eighteen-carbon essential fatty acids that contain two double bonds.	Acids, Linoleic
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008892	Milk	The off-white liquid secreted by the mammary glands of humans and other mammals. It contains proteins, sugar, lipids, vitamins, and minerals.	Cow Milk,Cow's Milk,Milk, Cow,Milk, Cow's
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D012160	Retina	The ten-layered nervous tissue membrane of the eye. It is continuous with the OPTIC NERVE and receives images of external objects and transmits visual impulses to the brain. Its outer surface is in contact with the CHOROID and the inner surface with the VITREOUS BODY. The outer-most layer is pigmented, whereas the inner nine layers are transparent.	Ora Serrata
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D004042	Dietary Fats, Unsaturated	Unsaturated fats or oils used in foods or as a food.	Dietary Oils,Unsaturated Dietary Fats,Dietary Fat, Unsaturated,Dietary Oil,Fat, Unsaturated Dietary,Fats, Unsaturated Dietary,Oil, Dietary,Oils, Dietary,Unsaturated Dietary Fat
D004281	Docosahexaenoic Acids	C22-unsaturated fatty acids found predominantly in FISH OILS.	Docosahexaenoate,Docosahexaenoic Acid,Docosahexenoic Acids,Docosahexaenoic Acid (All-Z Isomer),Docosahexaenoic Acid Dimer (All-Z Isomer),Docosahexaenoic Acid, 3,6,9,12,15,18-Isomer,Docosahexaenoic Acid, 4,7,10,13,16,19-(All-Z-Isomer),Docosahexaenoic Acid, 4,7,10,13,16,19-(All-Z-Isomer), Cerium Salt,Docosahexaenoic Acid, 4,7,10,13,16,19-(All-Z-Isomer), Cesium Salt,Docosahexaenoic Acid, 4,7,10,13,16,19-(All-Z-Isomer), Potassium Salt,Docosahexaenoic Acid, 4,7,10,13,16,19-(Z,Z,Z,Z,Z,E-Isomer),Docosahexaenoic Acid, 4,7,10,13,16,19-Isomer,Docosahexaenoic Acid, 4,7,10,13,16,19-Isomer, Sodium Salt,Docosahexaenoic Acid, Sodium Salt,Acid, Docosahexaenoic,Acids, Docosahexaenoic,Acids, Docosahexenoic
D005227	Fatty Acids	Organic, monobasic acids derived from hydrocarbons by the equivalent of oxidation of a methyl group to an alcohol, aldehyde, and then acid. Fatty acids are saturated and unsaturated (FATTY ACIDS, UNSATURATED). (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Aliphatic Acid,Esterified Fatty Acid,Fatty Acid,Fatty Acids, Esterified,Fatty Acids, Saturated,Saturated Fatty Acid,Aliphatic Acids,Acid, Aliphatic,Acid, Esterified Fatty,Acid, Saturated Fatty,Esterified Fatty Acids,Fatty Acid, Esterified,Fatty Acid, Saturated,Saturated Fatty Acids
D005260	Female		Females