Abstract
Arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids (ARA and DHA) are important during pregnancy. However, the effects of dietary supplementation on fetal growth and oxidative stress are inconclusive. We aimed to assess the effect of high ARA and DHA diet during rat gestation on: (1) ARA and DHA availability in plasma and placenta, (2) fetal growth, and (3) placental oxidative stress, analyzing the influence of sex. Experimental diet (ED) was prepared by substituting soybean oil in the control diet (CD) by a fungi/algae-based oil containing ARA and DHA (2:1). Rats were fed with CD or ED during gestation; plasma, placenta, and fetuses were obtained at gestational day 20. DHA, ARA, and their precursors were analyzed in maternal plasma and placenta by gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry. Fetuses and placentas were weighed, the proportion of fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) determined, and placental lipid and protein oxidation analyzed. ED fetuses exhibited lower body weight compared to CD, being >40% IUGR; fetal weight negatively correlated with maternal plasma ARA, but not DHA. Only ED female placenta exhibited higher lipid and protein oxidation compared to its CD counterparts; lipid peroxidation is negatively associated with fetal weight. In conclusion, high ARA during gestation associates with IUGR, through placental oxidative stress, with females being more susceptible.
Highlights
A maternal diet is critical for a successful pregnancy, as well as for fetal health [1,2]
The fetus has a limited capacity to carry out the synthesis from their precursors Linoleic acid (LA) and ALA, due to limited enzyme availability, and they are most readily obtained from the maternal dietary intake and metabolism [6,7]
We evaluated the effect of a diet with a high arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content, given during gestation to Sprague Dawley rats, assessing if the supplemented diet: (1) Increase the availability of ARA and DHA in maternal plasma and placenta; and (2) is beneficial or detrimental for fetal growth, evaluating the role of placental oxidative stress
Summary
A maternal diet is critical for a successful pregnancy, as well as for fetal health [1,2]. The fetus has a limited capacity to carry out the synthesis from their precursors LA and ALA, due to limited enzyme availability, and they are most readily obtained from the maternal dietary intake and metabolism [6,7]. In humans, the benefits of this supplementation remain inconclusive, as shown by several systematic reviews [9,10], and more studies are needed to ascertain the consequences of supplementation with n-3 and n-6 LCPUFAs during pregnancy and their role for fetal growth [11]. Moderate amounts of fish oil supplementation during pregnancy do not improve growth, but instead lead to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) [13] Both ARA and DHA are needed for fetal development, and a deficiency in one may compromise growth [14]. It has been shown that growth deficiency induced by fish oil supplementation is related to a reduced ARA availability due to inhibition of its synthesis by the excess of DHA [15]
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