Premium
Maternal iron deficiency: effects on fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism and spatial memory in the adult guinea pig offspring
Author(s) -
LeBlanc Caroline P,
Surette Marc E,
Fiset Sylvain,
Rioux France M
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.717.14
Subject(s) - offspring , lactation , endocrinology , medicine , biology , iron deficiency , pregnancy , docosahexaenoic acid , docosapentaenoic acid , eicosanoid , physiology , fatty acid , polyunsaturated fatty acid , arachidonic acid , biochemistry , anemia , genetics , enzyme
Iron deficiency is the most prevalent worldwide nutritional deficiency. Groups at risk in industrialized countries are infants and pregnant women. The goal of this study was to evaluate the long‐term consequences of maternal iron deficiency on the offspring's fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism, behavior and spatial memory. Female guinea pigs consumed iron sufficient (IS) and iron deficient (ID) diets for 14 days before mating and throughout pregnancy and lactation. Iron restriction resulted in ID in pregnant females. On post‐natal day (PND) 9, all offspring (ID and IS) were weaned on the IS diet and at 42 days all offspring were iron replete. Locomotion was tested in pups on PND 24 and 40 and spatial memory from day 25 through 40. Pups from the ID group were significantly more active in the open‐field at both times of testing while spatial memory was comparable in both groups. On PND 42, dihomogammalinolenic 20:3(n‐6), docosapentaenoic 22:5(n‐3) and docosahexaenoic 22:6(n‐3) acid content was significantly higher in brain phospholipids of offspring born to ID dams. Prostaglandin E 2 and F 2α concentrations were also significantly higher in brains of offspring born to ID dams. This demonstrates that moderate iron deficiency during gestation and lactation results in alterations of brain fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism and perturbation in behavior in adult offspring. Funded by CIHR and CRC.