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Incorporation of n−3 fatty acids into plasma and liver lipids of rats: Importance of background dietary fat
Author(s) -
MacDonaldWicks Lesley K.,
Garg Manohar L.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/s11745-004-1261-z
Subject(s) - lipidology , clinical chemistry , chemistry , food science , biochemistry
The health benefits of long‐chain n−3 PUFA (20∶5n−3 and 22∶6n−3) depend on the extent of incorporation of these FA into plasma and tissue lipids. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the background dietary fat (saturated, monounsaturated, or n−6 polyunsaturated) on the quantitative incorporation of dietary 18∶3n−3 and its elongated and desaturated products into the plasma and the liver lipids of rats. Female weanling Wistar rats ( n =54) were randomly assigned to six diet groups ( n =9). The fat added to the semipurified diets was tallow (SFA), tallow plus linseed oil (SFA‐LNA), sunola oil (MUFA), sunola oil plus linseed oil (MUFA‐LNA), sunflower oil (PUFA), or sunflower oil plus linseed oil (PUFA‐LNA). At the completion of the 4‐wk feeding period, quantitative FA analysis of the liver and plasma was undertaken by GC. The inclusion of linseed oil in the rat diets increased the level of 18∶3n−3, 20∶5n−3, and, to a smaller degree, 22∶6n−3 in plasma and liver lipids regardless of the background dietary fat. The extent of incorporation of 18∶3n−3, 20∶5n−3, and 22∶5n−3 followed the order SFA‐LNA>MUFA‐LNA>PUFA‐LNA. Levels of 22∶6n−3 were increased to a similar extent regardless of the type of major fat in the rat diets. This indicates that the background diet affects the incorporation in liver and plasma FA pools of the n−3 PUFA with the exception of 22∶6n−3 and therefore the background diet has the potential to influence the already established health benefits of long‐chain n−3 fatty acids.