Body lipids of guinea pigs exposed to different dietary fats from mid-gestation to 3 months of age. V. The fatty acid composition of brain lipids at birth.

Abstract

Pregnant guinea pigs were fed on one of three diets: a commercial low-fat diet or a high-fat diet containing either maize oil or beef dripping. The young were killed at birth, the brain removed and dissected into three regions; the cerebellum, cerebrum and stem. The fatty acid composition of the major phospholipid classes, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine was determined using gas chromatography. Compared with those fed the commercial or beef dripping diet the brain of the young of mothers fed maize oil during pregnancy had an increased percentage of linoleic acid and of its long-chain derivatives arachidonic acid and docosapentaenoic acid and a lower percentage of docosahexaenoic acid. These changes occurred in both lipid classes and in all regions of the brain. The results demonstrate that the fatty acid composition of the brain lipids of newborn guinea pigs can be influenced by the nature of the maternal dietary fat consumed during the last weeks of pregnancy.