The effect of western diet on mice brain lipid composition

Alicja Pakiet,Tomasz Sledzinski,Agnieszka Jakubiak,Adriana Mika,Aleksandra Czumaj

doi:10.1186/s12986-019-0401-4

Alicja Pakiet, Tomasz Sledzinski + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-019-0401-4

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Abstract

BackgroundThe appropriate fatty acids composition of brain lipids is critical for functioning of this organ. The alterations of brain fatty acids composition may lead to neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.MethodsThe aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of western diet containing high fat content on fatty acid composition of brain lipids. In this study we used mice fed high fat diet (HFD) for 19 weeks. Brain lipids were separated by SPE extraction and fatty acid composition in chow, mice serum, brain and other tissues was analyzed by GC-MS method.ResultsThe body weight and adipose tissue weigh of mice after HFD increased significantly. The concentrations of most of fatty acids in serum of mice after HFD increased, due to their higher delivery from food. Unexpectedly the serum eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentration was lower in mice after HFD than in controls. Also the brain, and other tissue EPA content was lower. Among studied groups of brain lipids EPA was significantly decreased in phospholipids and sphingolipids.ConclusionsConsidering important role of brain EPA including maintaining of appropriate composition of cell membrane lipids and anti-inflammatory properties we conclude that decrease of brain EPA after western diet may result in impaired brain function.

Highlights

The appropriate fatty acids composition of brain lipids is critical for functioning of this organ
Materials and methods The aim of our work was the determination of polyunsaturated fatty acids levels in brain, and in other organs of mice fed high fat diet (HFD), which is the equivalent of a human western diet.2.1 Animals and treatment
Induction of obesity by HFD The treatment of mice by HFD for 19 weeks resulted in significant increase of body weight comparing to controls fed standard diet for laboratory mice (SD) including 10% fat (Fig. 1)

Summary

Introduction

The appropriate fatty acids composition of brain lipids is critical for functioning of this organ. The properties of the another PUFA family, n-6, are familiar These all fatty acids are cellular modulators and precursors of sphingolipids, oxylipins and endocannabinoids [6]. Endocannabinoids belong to a class of lipids derived from arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4 n-6) They participate in the control of many physiological functions in the body, including food intake, energy balance, and reward [7]. Endocannabinoids are capable of neuromodulation and are presumably involved in mood regulation and vulnerability to psychosis [8]. What is important, it was proven, that high-fat diet (HFD) leads to elevations in peripheral endocannabinoid signaling [7]. Synaptamide (N-docosahexanoyloethanolamine, DHEA), a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) endocannabinoid-like metabolite, is capable of inducing neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells by induction of phosphorylation of protein kinase A (PKA)/cAMP response binding

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