Dietary fish oil supplementation during early pregnancy in rats on a cafeteria-diet prevents fatty liver in adult male offspring.

We studied in rats the effects of cafeteria diet (CD) supplemented (or not) with fish oil (FO) during just the first 12 days of pregnancy, or during the whole of pregnancy and lactation in 14-month old offspring. Female rats were given standard diet (STD) or CD and after mating some animals remained on STD or CD; for some CD rats the diet was supplemented with 8.78% FO. After 12 days, half of the CD-FO group returned to CD (CD-FO12) and the others remained on CD-FO. From weaning all offspring were given STD. The adiposity index of male offspring of CD dams increased but was normal in CD-FO males. Plasma triacylglycerols (TAG) and individual fatty acid concentrations were similar among the groups. Liver total lipids, TAG, fatty acid concentrations, Δ9-desaturase indices and the mRNA expression of fatty acid synthase were higher in male offspring of CD than in those of STD; most of these differences disappeared in male offspring of CD-FO12 and CD-FO dams. Female offspring showed smaller changes. Thus, a moderate supplement with FO during just the first half of gestation or during pregnancy and lactation in rats on CD decreases the liver steatosis in male adult offspring.

Influence of cafeteria diet and fish oil in pregnancy and lactation on pups' body weight and fatty acid profiles in rats.

PURPOSE: The aim was to determine the effects of cafeteria diet (CD) and fish oil supplements given to pregnant and lactating rats on the birth weight and fatty acid profiles of their offspring. METHODS: Female rats were given standard diet (STD) or CD for 22 days before pregnancy. After mating, some animals remained on STD or CD; for some CD rats, the diet was supplemented with 8.78 % fish oil (CD-FO). After 12 days, half the CD-FO group returned to CD (CD-FO12) and the others remained on CD-FO. RESULTS: At birth, body weights of pups of the three CD groups were lower than STD, maintained until 21 days in the CD-FO group only. At the end of lactation, dams of the CD groups had increased plasma triacylglycerols (TAG), non-esterified fatty acids, and glycerol concentrations, whereas most n-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) were decreased, the effect being greatest in the CD-FO group, where most n-3 LCPUFA were increased and indices of Δ(5) and Δ(6) desaturase activities decreased. The 21-day-old pups of the CD group had increased plasma TAG, not present in the CD-FO group, which had increased 3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. In both 2- and 21-day-old CD pups, plasma concentrations of ARA were lower than STD, and even lower in the two CD-FO groups. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of CD and CD-FO decreasing pups body weight could be related to decreased concentrations of ARA, caused by the inhibition of the Δ(5) and Δ(6) desaturases in the pathway of n-6 LCPUFA biosynthesis.

Supplementing diet with blackberry extract causes a catabolic response with increments in insulin sensitivity in rats.

Blackberry (Rubus sp.) fruit has a high content of anthocyanins, but its health benefits have not been sufficiently explored in healthy individuals. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine the effects of blackberry extract on lipid and glucose variables in female and male rats. Sprague Dawley rats were given a standard pellet (SD) or cafeteria (CD) diet supplemented (SD+R and CD+R) or not with Rubus extract for 80 days. Female rats given SD+R had lower body and liver weights than SD females; both sexes given SD+R showed lower plasma glucose and insulin, higher plasma NEFA, glycerol and 3-hydroxybutyrate, and higher liver concentration of triacylglycerols than SD rats. The homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA) was lower in SD+R rats than in SD rats, but higher in CD rats. No effects of Rubus extract were observed in CD rats. In conclusion, Rubus extract, in rats given SD, decreased glycemia and increased insulin sensitivity. It also increased lipid breakdown in adipose tissue. The effects were greater in females than in males. No effect was seen in rats given CD, probably as a result of their high insulin resistance.

Trans and interesterified fat and palm oil during the pregnancy and lactation period inhibit the central anorexigenic action of insulin in adult male rat offspring.

Palm oil and interesterified fat have been used to replace partially hydrogenated fats, rich in trans isomers, in processed foods. This study investigated whether the maternal consumption of normolipidic diets containing these lipids affects the insulin receptor and Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) contents in the hypothalamus and the hypophagic effect of centrally administered insulin in 3-month-old male offspring. At 90 days, the intracerebroventricular injection of insulin decreased 24-h feeding in control rats but not in the palm, interesterified or trans groups. The palm group exhibited increases in the insulin receptor content of 64 and 69 % compared to the control and trans groups, respectively. However, the quantifications of PKB did not differ significantly across groups. We conclude that the intake of trans fatty acid substitutes during the early perinatal period affects food intake regulation in response to centrally administered insulin in the young adult offspring; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.