Effects of dietary omega-3 PUFAs on growth and development: Somatic, neurobiological and reproductive functions in a murine model

BIANCONI, SANTIAGO; SANTILLAN, MARIA EMILIA; SOLIS, MARIA DEL ROSARIO; MARTINI, ANA C.; PONZIO, MARINA F.; VINCENTI, LAURA M.; SCHIOTH, HELGI B.; CARLINI, VALERIA P.; STUTZ, GRACIELA

JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Año: 2018

0955-2863

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ù-3 PUFAs) are relevant to fetal and infant growthand development. Objective: to assess whether long-term exposure to dietary ù-3 PUFAimbalance alters pre- and/or postnatal pups? development and reproductive function later inlife. Mice dams were fed with ù-3 PUFA Control (soybean oil, 7%), Deficient (sunfloweroil, 7%) or Excess (blend oil; 4.2% cod-liver + 2.8% soybean) diet before conception andthroughout gestation-lactation and later on, their pups received the same diet from weaningto adulthood. Offspring somatic, neurobiological and reproductive parameters wereevaluated. Excess pups were lighter during the preweaning period and shorter in lengthfrom postnatal day (PND) 7 to 49, compared to Control pups (P<.05). On PND14, thepercentage of pups with eye opening in Excess group was lower than those from Controland Deficient groups (P<.05). In Excess female offspring, puberty onset (vaginal openingand first estrus) occurred significantly later and the percentage of parthenogenetic oocyteson PND63 was higher than Control and Deficient ones (P<.05). Deficient pups wereshorter in length (males: on PND14, 21, 35 and 49; females: on PND14, 21 and 42)compared with Control pups (P<.05). Deficient offspring exhibited higher percentage ofbending spermatozoa compared to Control and Excess offspring (P<.05). These resultsshow that either an excessively high or insufficient ù-3 PUFA consumption prior toconception until adulthood, seems inadvisable because of the potential risks of short-termadverse effects on growth and development of the progeny or long-lasting effects on theirreproductive maturation and function.