The effect of gender, pregnancy and diet upon rat tissue fatty acid composition and immune function
Year: 2008
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This thesis uses a rat model to investigate the effects of gender, pregnancy and maternal dietary fatty acids during pregnancy on adult and fetal tissue fatty acid composition, particularly upon longer-chain (LC) omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).The effects of pregnancy and of diet during pregnancy upon immune function are also investigated.Gender differences in fatty acid composition were apparent in the rat with females having higher LC n-3 PUFA contents in plasma, liver and adipose tissue lipids.These differences appeared to result from gender differences in the activities of desaturase and elongase enzymes which generate LC n-3 PUFA rather than from differences in expression of these genes.Increased ∆6 desaturase mRNA expression was observed during pregnancy and correlated to plasma progesterone status.The immune adaptations of rat pregnancy differed from those reported in human and murine studies.The rat did not demonstrate a reduced Th1:Th2 cytokine ratio during pregnancy, but had reduced expression of CD161 upon the cell surface of maternal blood and spleen NK cells.Maternal dietary fatty acids during pregnancy significantly affected the fatty acid composition of maternal and fetal tissues, with tissue specific incorporation of LC n-3 PUFA into fetal tissues.Maternal diets rich in n-3 PUFA exerted significant effects upon maternal and fetal immune function, including changes in the expression of CD3 and CD8 upon both maternal and fetal cytotoxic T cells and in the number of CD161 + cells (putative NK cells) in the fetal thymus.The maternal diet during pregnancy therefore has the capacity to alter both maternal and fetal immune function, which may have significant effects upon maternal and fetal resistance to infection, and may exert longer-term effects upon offspring health.
Author: Caroline E. Childs
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W19765260