Maternal supplementation of a-linolenic acid in normal and protein-restricted diets modulate lipid metabolism, adipose tissue growth and leptin levels in the suckling offspring.

Background Lipid quantity and quality have been shown
to affect serum cholesterol, adipose and serum leptin levels
during prenatal and postnatal dietary supplementation of
adult rats. Maternal protein deficiency during pregnancy
and lactation also affects polyunsaturated fatty acid
(PUFA) levels in the offspring. The aim of the present
study was to analyze the effect of a-linolenic acid (ALA;
n-3) on n-3 PUFA accretion, lipid profile, leptin levels and
adipose growth in normal and protein-restricted (deficient)
dams and their suckling pups.
Methods Garden cress oil rich in ALA (32 %) was supplemented
in the normal and protein-restricted (10 %) diets
and fed to rats for 8 weeks prior to gestation and during
lactation. PUFA, cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin levels
and retroperitoneal white adipose tissue weight (WAT) of
the dams and the pups were analyzed at 3 weeks after
delivery.
Results The serum cholesterol levels were remarkably
decreased (p\0.01), and the n-3 PUFA levels were
markedly increased (p\0.05) in the pups of lactating
normal and protein-deficient dams supplemented with
ALA. Triglycerides were unaltered in the dams and the
pups of different dietary groups. Serum leptin levels and
relative WAT weights were lower (p\0.01) in the pups of
the ALA-supplemented normal and protein-deficient dams.
Conclusion Maternal supplementation of ALA in normal
and protein-restricted diets modulates n-3 PUFA levels,
cholesterol, leptin levels and also adipose growth in the
suckling offspring.