Comparative analyses of DHA-Phosphatidylcholine and recombination of DHA-Triglyceride with Egg-Phosphatidylcholine or Glycerylphosphorylcholine on DHA repletion in n-3 deficient mice

Fang Wu,Yu-Ming Wang,Hong-Xia Che,Tian-Tian Zhang,Teruyoshi Yanagita,Chang-Hu Xue,Dan-Dan Wang,Min Wen

doi:10.1186/s12944-017-0623-2

Abstract

BackgroundDocosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is important for optimal neurodevelopment and brain function during the childhood when the brain is still under development.MethodsThe effects of DHA-Phosphatidylcholine (DHA-PC) and the recombination of DHA-Triglyceride with egg PC (DHA-TG + PC) or α-Glycerylphosphorylcholine (DHA-TG + α-GPC) were comparatively analyzed on DHA recovery and the DHA accumulation kinetics in tissues including cerebral cortex, erythrocyte, liver, and testis were evaluated in the weaning n-3 deficient mice.ResultsThe concentration of DHA in weaning n-3 deficient mice could be recovered rapidly by dietary DHA supplementation, in which DHA-PC exhibited the better efficacy than the recombination of DHA-Triglyceride with egg PC or α-GPC. Interestingly, DHA-TG + α-GPC exhibited the greater effect on DHA accumulation than DHA-TG + PC in cerebral cortex and erythrocyte (p < 0.05), which was similar to DHA-PC. Meanwhile, DHA-TG + PC showed a similar effect to DHA-PC on DHA repletion in testis, which was better than that of DHA-TG + α-GPC (p < 0.05).ConclusionWe concluded that different forms of DHA supplements could be applied targetedly based on the DHA recovery in different tissues, although the supplemental effects of the recombination of DHA-Triglyceride with egg PC or α-GPC were not completely equivalent to that of DHA-PC, which could provide some references to develop functional foods to support brain development and function.

Highlights

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is important for optimal neurodevelopment and brain function during the childhood when the brain is still under development
Time course of fatty acids alteration in cerebral cortex Previous clinical and preclinical studies suggested that the early postnatal period was a critical interval when insufficient ingestion of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) might be very detrimental [16]
A rapid and efficient recovery of DHA in developing brain was important for optimal function, so we studied the DHA accumulation kinetics in weaning n-3 deficient mice supplemented with different forms of DHA

Summary

Introduction

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is important for optimal neurodevelopment and brain function during the childhood when the brain is still under development. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is highly accumulated in the brain and retina, which is critical for normal nervous development and function [1, 2]. The capacity of brain for synthesizing the longchain polyunsaturated fatty acids is very limited especially in early life stage, DHA is mainly supplied via the uteroplacental circulation during pregnancy and the breast milk during nursing [3]. Many pregnant women cannot intake sufficient n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) during pregnancy and lactation in modern western diets, which is likely responsible for the DHA deficiency in developing brains of infants and the increasing incidence of neurological disorders [4, 5]. To the best of our knowledge, very few studies have investigated the DHA accumulation kinetics in the brain and other tissues during the childhood

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Conclusion