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Preferential effect of lead exposure during lactation on non-essential fatty acids in maternal organs

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Lipids

Abstract

This study determined the effects of lead exposure during the lactational period on maternal organ FA compositions in rat dams that were fed either an n−3 adequate (n−3 Adq) or deficient (n−3 Def) diet prior to conception. On giving birth, dams were subdivided into four groups in a 2×2 design with n−3 FA supply and Pb exposure as the dependent variables. Pb acetate (0.2 wt%) was administered in the drinking water from the time they gave birth to weaning 3 wk later. Following weaning, the dams were decapitated. and the liver, plasma, kidney, brain, and retina analyzed for FA composition. The n−3 deficient diets markedly decreased the percentages of total n−3 FA, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and increased total n−6 FA including both arachidonic (AA) and n−6 docosapentaenoic acids in all tissues (P<0.05). The principal effects of Pb occurred in the liver and plasma, where 20–32% losses in total FA concentration concurrent with increased relative percentages of AA (P<0.05) were observed. In kidney, the percentages of AA and DHA also increased after Pb exposure (P<0.05) with lesser effects in the nervous system. There was a diet x Pb interaction for liver, plasma, and retinal 20-C n−6 PUFA (P<0.05). Generally, shorter-chain saturated and monounsaturated FA concentrations were decreased after Pb exposure. An analysis of the changes in the tissue concentrations induced by Pb indicated that the increases in the percentages of PUFA likely reflected a preferential loss of non-EFA. The mechanisms by which Pb affects saturated and monounsaturated FA concentration are unknown.

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Abbreviations

AA:

arachidonic acid, 20∶4n−6

DGLA:

dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, 20∶3n−6

DHA:

docosahexaenoic acid, 22∶6n−3

DMA:

dimethyl acetal derivative

DPAn−3:

n−3 docosapentaenoic acid, 22∶5n−3

DPAn−6:

n−6 docosapentaenoic acid, 22∶5n−6

DTA:

docosatetraenoic acid, 22∶4n−6

EFA:

essential fatty acid

EPA:

eicosapentaenoic acid, 20∶5n−3

FA:

fatty acid

GLA:

γ-linolenic acid, 18∶3n−6

LA:

linoleic acid, 18∶2n−6

LNA:

α-linolenic acid, 18∶3n−3

n−3 Adq-Na:

n−3 adequate and Na control group

n−3 Adq-Pb:

n−3 adequate and Pb exposure group

n−3 Def-Na:

n−3 deficient and Na control group

n−3 Def-Pb:

n−3 deficient and Pb exposure group

NIAAA:

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

NIH:

National Institutes of Health

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Marine Environment & Bioscience, Korea Maritime University, Busan, Republic of Korea

    Sun-Young Lim

  2. Laboratory of membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, Maryland

    James Loewke & Norman Salem Jr.

  3. Office of Pesticide Programs, Health Effects Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.

    John D. Doherty

Authors
  1. Sun-Young Lim
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  2. James Loewke
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  3. John D. Doherty
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  4. Norman Salem Jr.
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Correspondence to Norman Salem Jr..

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Lim, SY., Loewke, J., Doherty, J.D. et al. Preferential effect of lead exposure during lactation on non-essential fatty acids in maternal organs. Lipids 40, 685–693 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-005-1431-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-005-1431-z

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