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Contribution of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids to Intestinal Repair in Protein-Energy Malnutrition

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids supplied in the diet on intestinal mucosa repair in a rat model of protein-energy malnutrition. Rats were fed either a standard semipurified diet or the same diet containing lactose as the only source of carbohydrate to cause protein-energy malnutrition. Diarrhea was induced within 24 h and was maintained for 2 weeks, after which both groups of rats were fed for 1 week either the standard diet or the standard diet supplemented with different sources of fatty acids, such as olive oil (OO), fish oil (FO), and purified phospholipids from pig brain (BPL). The lactose-enriched diet caused loss of enterocyte microvilli, lymphocyte infiltration, supranuclear cytoplasmic vesiculation, decreased number of goblet cells, low-density enlarged mitochondria, and less cristae. The FO diet improved the pathology score according to the histological and ultrastructural analysis, with an increased number of goblet cells, ratio of microvilli length to crypt depth, and percentage of intraepithelial lymphocytes compared to those found in rats with protein-energy malnutrition. We previously reported that chronic diarrhea depletes the antioxidant defense in rat intestine; we now show that both, the FO and the BPL diets, increase GSH levels in colon and that some antioxidant enzyme activities vary according to the source of fatty acids, with higher catalase and superoxide dismutase by the FO diet in jejunum, increased catalase by the BPL diet in jejunum, and elevated glutathione peroxidase by the OO diet in colon. The fatty acid profile of intestinal mucosa reflects the source of fat in the diet, with the lowest ratio of n-6/n-3 for rats fed the FO diet. These results suggest that dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly those in the n-3 series, may play an important role in intestinal repair in chronic diarrhea due to protein-energy malnutrition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain

    Natalia Nieto PhD, María Dolores Mesa PhD, José María López-Pedrosa PhD, María Dolores Suárez PhD & Ángel Gil PhD

  2. Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, Paraje Lagunillas, 23071, Jaén

    M. Isabel Torres PhD

  3. Department of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Granada, Campus of Fuentenueva, Avenida Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain

    Antonio Ríos PhD

Authors
  1. Natalia Nieto PhD
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  2. María Dolores Mesa PhD
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  3. José María López-Pedrosa PhD
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  4. M. Isabel Torres PhD
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  5. Antonio Ríos PhD
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  6. María Dolores Suárez PhD
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  7. Ángel Gil PhD
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Correspondence to Ángel Gil PhD.

Additional information

This work was supported by Grant CI1-CT91-0078 from the European Union.

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Nieto, N., Mesa, M.D., López-Pedrosa, J.M. et al. Contribution of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids to Intestinal Repair in Protein-Energy Malnutrition. Dig Dis Sci 52, 1485–1496 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-007-8100-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-007-8100-9

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