Abstract
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a major n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) particularly involved in cognitive and cardiovascular functions. Due to the high unsaturation index, its dietary intake form has been considered to improve oxidation status and to favor bioaccessibility and bioavailability as well. This study aimed at investigating the effect of DHA encapsulated with natural whey protein. DHA was dietary provided as triacylglycerols to achieve 2.3% over total fatty acids. It was daily supplied to weanling rats for four weeks in omelet as food matrix, consecutively to a 6-hour fasting. First, when DHA oil was encapsulated, consumption of chow diet was enhanced leading to promote animal growth. Second, the brain exhibited a high accretion of 22.8% DHA, which was not improved by dietary supplementation of DHA. Encapsulation of DHA oil did not greatly affect the fatty acid proportions in tissues, but remarkably modified the profile of oxidized metabolites of fatty acids in plasma, heart, and even brain. Specific oxylipins derived from DHA were upgraded, such as Protectin Dx in heart and 14-HDoHE in brain, whereas those generated from n-6 PUFAs were mainly mitigated. This effect did not result from oxylipins measured in DHA oil since DHA and EPA derivatives were undetected after food processing. Collectively, these data suggested that dietary encapsulation of DHA oil triggered a more efficient absorption of DHA, the metabolism of which was enhanced more than its own accretion in our experimental conditions. Incorporating DHA oil in functional food may finally improve the global health status by generating precursors of protectins and maresins.
Highlights
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) is an essential n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), mainly known for its health benefits on brain and heart
This rodent chow was composed of monoenes (18:1n9) and saturates (16:0 and 18:0) as major Fatty acid (FA), and contained 17.0% Linoleic acid (LA) (18:2n-6) and 3.4% α-Linolenic acid (ALA) corresponding to a ratio of 5 (Table 2)
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was increased as well in plasma, red blood cells (RBC), and liver. This FA was possibly synthesized from n-3 precursors such as ALA present in treatment diet (T-diet). This raise was inherent to the DHA supplementation in omelets, considering that EPA was minorly present in DHA oil and was potentially generated by retroconversion of DHA or of Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) n-3
Summary
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) is an essential n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), mainly known for its health benefits on brain and heart This bioactive compound presents a large range of beneficial outcomes inherent to the modulation of both membrane structure and cell functions. The functionality of DHA is likely to be mostly implemented through the synthesis of derivatives such as oxidized metabolites of FA (oxylipins) or endocannabinoid-like mediators. Dietary supplementation of DHA was shown to generate higher levels of its oxygenated derivatives as oxylipins [20, 21]. These lipid mediators are synthesized from PUFA by cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase, or cytochrome P450 ω-hydroxylase or epoxygenase enzymes, or by non-enzymatic autoxidation [22]. The literature reports their bioactive implying on pathophysiological process as they
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