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Dose effect of α-linolenic acid on PUFA conversion, bioavailability, and storage in the hamster

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Lipids

Abstract

If an increased consumption of α-linolenic acid (ALA) is to be promoted in parallel with that of n−3 long-chain-rich food, it is necessary to consider to what extent dietary ALA can be absorbed, transported, stored, and converted into long-chain derivatives. We investigated these processes in male hamsters, over a broad range of supply as linseed oil (0.37, 3.5, 6.9, and 14.6% energy). Linoleic acid (LA) was kept constant (8.5% energy), and the LA/ALA ratio was varied from 22.5 to 0.6. The apparent absorption of individual FA was very high (>96%), and that of ALA remained almost maximum even at the largest supply (99.5%). The capacity for ALA transport and storage had no limitation over the chosen range of dietary intake. Indeed, ALA intake was significantly correlated with ALA level not only in cholesteryl esters (from 0.3 to 9.7% of total FA) but also in plasma phospholipids and red blood cells (RBC), which makes blood components extremely reliable as biomarkers of ALA consumption. Similarly, ALA storage in adipose tissue increased from 0.85 to 14% of total FA and was highly correlated with ALA intake. As for bioconversion, dietary ALA failed to increase 22∶6n−3, decreased 20∶4n−6, and efficiently increased 20∶5n−3 (EPA) in RBC and cardiomyocytes. EPA accumulation did not tend to plateau, in accordance with identical activities of Δ5- and Δ6-desaturases in all groups. Dietary supply of ALA was therefore a very efficient means of improving the 20∶4n−6 to 20∶5n−3 balance.

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Abbreviations

AA:

arachidonic acid

ALA:

α-linolenic acid

CE:

cholesteryl ester

DPA:

docosapentaenoic acid

EAT:

epididymal adipose tissue

LA:

linoleic acid

LC:

long chain

MUFA:

monounsaturated FA

PL:

phospholipid

RBC:

red blood cell

SFA:

saturated FA

TFA:

trans FA

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Biochimie-Nutrition/Institut des Techniques d'Etude et de Recherche des Corps Gras (ITERG), Unité de Nutrition et Signalisation Cellulaire, Université Bordeaux 1, 33405, Talence cedex, France

    Nicole Combe & Carole Boué

  2. Laboratoire de Biochimie, Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie de Rennes-Institut, National de la Recherche Agronomique, 35042, Rennes cedex, France

    Philippe Legrand & Daniel Catheline

  3. Organisation, Nationale Interprofessionnelle des Oléagineux (ONIDOL), 75008, Paris, France

    Evelyne Fénart

  4. La Messayais, 35210, Combourtillé, France

    Pierre Weill

  5. Laboratoire d'Endocrinologie de la Nutrition, Université Paris Sud, Bâtiment 447, 91405, Orsay Cedex, France

    Anne Morise, Bernadette Delplanque & Dominique Hermier

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  1. Anne Morise
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  2. Nicole Combe
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  3. Carole Boué
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  4. Philippe Legrand
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Correspondence to Anne Morise.

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Morise, A., Combe, N., Boué, C. et al. Dose effect of α-linolenic acid on PUFA conversion, bioavailability, and storage in the hamster. Lipids 39, 325–334 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-004-1236-0

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