Effects of docosahexaenoic acid and sardine oil diets on the ultrastructure of jejunal absorptive cells in adult mice.

Abstract

The influence of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and sardine oil diets on the ultrastructure of jejunal absorptive cells was studied. Adult male Crj:CD-1 (ICR) mice were fed a fat-free semisynthetic diet supplemented with 5% (by weight) purified DHA ethyl ester, refined sardine oil, or palm oil. The mice received the DHA or palm oil diets for 7 days (groups 1 and 2) and the refined sardine oil or palm oil diets for 30 days (groups 3 and 4). There were significant ultrastructural changes in the jejunal absorptive cells between the mice fed on the palm oil diet and those receiving the DHA and sardine oil diets. The endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus of some jejunal absorptive cells in the mice fed on the palm oil diet for 7 and 30 days developed vacuolation on the upper site of the nucleus. In contrast, many granules, which appeared to be lipid droplets, were observed in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus of the jejunal absorptive cells in the DHA and sardine oil diet groups. These results suggest that ultrastructural differences in the jejunal absorptive cells between mice in the omega-3 fatty acid and palm oil diet groups may be associated with the changes in lipid metabolism.