Preferential enrichment of liver phospholipids in docosahexaenoate relative to eicosapentaenoate in omega-3-depleted rats injected with a medium-chain triglyceride: fish oil emulsion

Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2008 Jan;78(1):27-32. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2007.11.002.

Abstract

The bolus intravenous injection of a novel medium-chain triglyceride:fish oil (FO) emulsion was recently proposed as a tool to provoke a rapid enrichment of cell phospholipids in long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. In the present study, the enrichment of liver phospholipids and triglycerides in C20:5omega-3, C22:5omega-3 and C22:6omega-3 was assessed 60min after the intravenous administration of FO (1.0ml) to second-generation omega-3-depleted rats. When compared to uninjected rats, or animals injected with a control omega-3 fatty acid-poor medium-chain triglyceride:olive oil (OO) emulsion, the enrichment of liver phospholipids, and to a lesser extent liver triglycerides, attributable to the injection of the FO emulsion was more pronounced for C22:6omega-3 than C20:5omega-3, despite the presence of equal amounts of these two omega-3 fatty acids in the injected diglycerides and triglycerides. The possible determinants and potential beneficial effects of such a difference are briefly discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Diglycerides / blood
  • Diglycerides / metabolism
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids / blood
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids / metabolism*
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid / blood
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid / metabolism*
  • Fish Oils / administration & dosage*
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Phospholipids / blood
  • Phospholipids / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Triglycerides / metabolism*

Substances

  • Diglycerides
  • Fish Oils
  • Phospholipids
  • Triglycerides
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid