Effects of High‐Fat Dietary Intake on Lipid Profiles in Rat Brain and Liver

High fat feeding is characterized by the accumulation of hepatic triglycerides and dyslipidemia. Changes in lipid profiles are associated with increased health risks such as diabetes, liver disease, and stroke. Implications of high fat dietary intake on lipid metabolism in brain remains unclear. This project focused on the effects of high fat feeding on the changes of lipid profiles in brain and liver of rats fed four diets: carbohydrate free (high‐fat; HF), high fat mixed (45% high, 35% carbohydrate; Mixed), fat free (carbohydrate; FF) and standard rodent chow (STD) for three weeks. Fatty acid synthesis and acyl‐CoA profiles were measured. The percent fractional fatty acid synthesis rates (FAS,%) were measured using deuterium labeled water stable isotope tracer method. The short, medium and long chain acyl‐CoA's were quantified against standards (nmol/g wt). FAS in liver was highest in the FF diet group (6.7± 0.3) and not detectable in the HF diet group. Brain FAS was lower in the HF (0.5%) compared to the FF group (0.7%). Acyl‐CoA profiles in liver were significantly different in the HF group compared to STD. The most striking was the 25 fold decrease in malonyl‐CoA (0.23± 0.03) in the HF diet group; succinyl‐ and acetyl‐CoA's were 2.5 fold lower. In brain the CoA profiles were not significantly different among HF, Mixed and STD diet groups: acetyl‐CoA (3.8± 0.8), malonyl‐CoA (1.8± 0.7), and succinyl‐CoA (1.4 ±0.2).