Effects of a High-Fat Diet and Docosahexaenoic Acid during Pregnancy on Fatty Acid Composition in the Fetal Livers of Mice
Journal
Nutrients
ISSN
2072-6643
Date Issued
2023
Author(s)
Daniela Álvarez
Macarena Ortiz
Gabriel Valdebenito
Nicolás Crisosto
Bárbara Echiburú
Rodrigo Valenzuela
Alejandra Espinosa
Manuel Maliqueo
Type
Resource Types::text::journal::journal article
URL Institutional Repository
Abstract
<jats:p>A high-fat diet (HFD) during pregnancy promotes fat accumulation and reduces docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels in the liver of the offspring at postnatal ages, which can depend on fetal sex. However, the prenatal mechanisms behind these associations are still unclear. Thus, we analyzed if an HFD alters DHA content and the expression of molecules related to fatty acid (FA) metabolism in the fetal liver. Female C57BL/6 mice were fed a control diet or HFD for 4–6 weeks before pregnancy until the gestational day (GD) 17.5. A subgroup of each diet received DHA (100 mg/Kg) orally from GD 6.5 until 16.5. On GD 17.5, maternal livers, placentas, and livers from male and female fetuses were collected for FA profiling with gas-chromatography and gene expression of molecules related to FA metabolism using qPCR. PPAR-α protein expression was evaluated using Western blot. The gene expression of placental FA transporters was also assessed. An HFD increased eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and decreased DHA levels and protein expression of PPAR-α in the fetal livers of both sexes. DHA increased the gene expression of Ppara, Cpt1, and Acsl1 in the livers of female fetuses. Therefore, an HFD reduces DHA levels and PPAR-α, a master regulator of gene expression, in the fetal liver. In turn, the livers of female fetuses seem to be more sensitive to DHA action.</jats:p>
Subjects
docosahexaenoic acid
;
fetal liver
;
high-fat diet
;
maternal liver
;
placenta
;
pregnancy
;
animals
;
diet, high-fat
;
docosahexaenoic acids
;
fatty acids
;
female
;
liver
;
male
;
mice
;
mice, inbred c57bl
;
peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors
;
placenta
;
pregnancy
;
carnitine palmitoyltransferase i
;
d 2534
;
docosahexaenoic acid
;
fatty acid transporter
;
icosapentaenoic acid
;
isoflurane
;
long chain fatty acid coenzyme a ligase
;
long chain fatty acid coenzyme a ligase 1
;
peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha
;
unclassified drug
;
docosahexaenoic acid
;
fatty acid
;
peroxisome proliferator activated receptor
;
animal experiment
;
animal tissue
;
article
;
biometry
;
chemical composition
;
controlled study
;
fatty acid metabolism
;
female
;
fetus
;
fetus liver
;
food intake
;
gas chromatography
;
gene expression
;
gestational age
;
lipid composition
;
lipid diet
;
liver
;
male
;
metabolic parameters
;
mouse
;
nonhuman
;
placenta
;
pregnancy
;
protein expression
;
real time polymerase chain reaction
;
western blotting
;
animal
;
c57bl mouse
;
metabolism
;
pregnancy