Twenty-four Months Feeding on Unsaturated Dietary Fats (Virgin Olive, Sunflower, or Fish Oil) Differentially Modulate Gingival Mitochondria in the Rat

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of feeding rats for 24 months on different unsaturated fats (virgin olive, sunflower, or fish oil) on gingival mitochondrial ultrastructure and expression of genes related to mitochondrial biology as well as the amount of circulating fatty acids in the plasma. Results show that sunflower oil led to a higher mitochondrial area, perimeter, and area:perimeter ratio, markers of swelling, and increased age. Sunflower oil also led to increased gene expression associated to biogenesis, autophagy, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Genes related to mitochondrial electron chain did not result affected by treatments. As old rats lifelong fed on sunflower oil have previously showed higher alveolar bone resorption, a major feature of periodontitis, we could conclude that age-related alveolar bone resorption associated with n6PUFA would be, at least in part, mediated by changes in mitochondrial ultrastructure and gene expression at the gingival tissue.