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Maternal n‐3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Before and During Pregnancy Provides Neuroprotection after Neonatal Hypoxic‐ischemic Brain Injury
Author(s) -
Fan Chaonan,
Mayurasakorn Korapat,
Ten Vadim S.,
Qi Kemin,
Deckelbaum Richard J.
Publication year - 2013
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.27.1_supplement.127.2
Subject(s) - neuroprotection , apoptosis , gestation , endocrinology , medicine , pregnancy , fatty acid , docosahexaenoic acid , biology , polyunsaturated fatty acid , biochemistry , genetics
Acute n‐3 fatty acid (n‐3 FA) injection has been shown to markedly attenuate hypoxic‐ischemic (H/I) injury in neonatal mice. We now investigated the effects of maternal n‐3 FA supplementation during pregnancy on neonatal brain survival in a model of H/I injury. C57BL/6J female mice (12 week) were fed with one of two experimental diets: an n‐3 FA deficient diet and an n‐3 FA‐rich containing diet. The feeding regimens began one month before mouse conception and continued throughout gestation. Brain fatty acid composition and expression of pro‐apoptotic Bax, and anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐x were determined in pups at 7 d of age. H/I injury was produced by right carotid artery ligation and exposure to 8% O 2 for 15 minutes in pups at 10 d of age. Compared to maternal n‐3 FA deficient diets, pups from n‐3 fed mothers had 2 fold higher brain concentrations of DHA and total n‐3 FA (p < 0.05), decreased Bax by 20% and increased Bcl‐x by 50% (p < 0.05). Cerebral infarct volumes at 24 hours after H/I were decreased in pups from n‐3 fed mothers compared to n‐3 FA deficient diets, 16.4% vs. 40.3%, respectively (p = 0.03). Our findings indicate that maternal n‐3 FA diet affects brain fatty acid composition, modulates apoptosis related gene expression in the off‐spring, and that these changes improve neuronal brain survival after H/I injury. Supported in part by NIH grants HL 40404 (RJD) and the International Training Fellowship from the Nutricia Research Foundation (2011‐T2). Grant Funding Source : Nutrition (ASN)