Modulation of plasma and hepatic oxidative status and changes in plasma lipid profile by n-3 (EPA and DHA), n-6 (corn oil) and a 3-thia fatty acid in rats

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta Vol. 1199; no. 3; pp. 238 - 244
• Main Authors: Demoz, A, Asiedu, D.K, Lie, O, Berge, R.K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier 21.04.1994
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; blood lipids; blood plasma; Body Weight; corn oil; Corn Oil - pharmacology; docosahexaenoic acid; Docosahexaenoic Acids - pharmacology; eicosapentaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - pharmacology; fatty acids; Fish Oils - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; glutathione; intake; Lipid Metabolism; Lipid Peroxidation; Lipids - blood; Lipids. Glycolipids; liver; Liver - enzymology; Male; Metabolisms and neurohumoral controls; Organ Size; palmitic acid; polyunsaturated fatty acids; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sulfhydryl Compounds - metabolism; Sulfides - pharmacology; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; vitamin E; Vitamin E - metabolism; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Enzymatic activity; Rat; Liver; Rodentia; Unsaturated fatty acid; Lipids; Feeding; Peroxidation; Blood plasma
• ISSN: 0006-3002; 0304-4165; 1878-2434; 1872-8006
• DOI: 10.1016/0304-4165(94)90002-7

This manuscript describes changes in plasma lipid profiles and parameters of oxidative status in the plasma and liver of rats fed 5 different fatty acids: 95% eicosapentaenoic acid, 92% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), corn oil (n-6), 1-mono-(carboxymethylthio)-tetradecane (CMTTD) and palmitic acid (controls) for 3 months. At the given doses both EPA and the 3-thia fatty acid, CMTTD, caused a significant decrease in plasma triglycerides, phospholipids, free fatty acids and cholesterol. DHA decreased plasma free fatty acids and cholesterol, while corn oil feeding reduced only plasma free fatty acids. Plasma and hepatic vitamin E levels were significantly decreased in EPA, DHA and CMTTD fed rats, but remained unchanged in corn oil fed rats. Plasma glutathione was noted to decrease after EPA and DHA feeding but remained unchanged in other groups. However, hepatic glutathione content was increased in EPA, DHA and CMTTD fed rats, whereas cysteine levels were noted to decrease. As hepatic levels of cysteinylglycine remained unchanged, increased rate of cellular glutathione synthesis rather than its decreased degradation is likely to contribute to the increased hepatic glutathione content in EPA, DHA and CMTTD fed rats. Except for reduction in the levels of plasma lipid peroxidation caused by CMTTD, no significant changes were noted between the different treatment groups. Hepatic lipid peroxidation was elevated only in rats given DHA. Furthermore, our results show that EPA and DHA cause minimal imbalance of the peroxisomal H2O2 metabolizing enzymes as compared to CMTTD. In addition, contrary to the potent peroxisome proliferator compound CMTTD which decreased the activities of glutathione transferase and glutathione peroxidase, EPA and DHA increased the activities of these detoxification enzymes.