Background: Tissue 10:4(n-6) and 22:6(n-3) status have been correlated with neonatal development and growth. Artificial formulas for neonates have been supplemented with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) from animal and marine sources which may enhance sensitivity of cellular membranes to oxidative damage. Diet-derived antioxidants like vitamin E play a key role in the protection of tissue lipids against oxidation.
Aim of the study: We seek to determine the influence of dietary vitamin E on tissue sensitivity to oxidative stress in rats fed for 4 weeks on diets enriched in (n-3) and (n-6) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Methods: Weanling rats received 10% fat diets that provided 18:1(n-9), 18:2(n-6) and 18:3(n-3) in a similar ratio to that of rat milk (group A), supplemented with fish oil (groups B and B+E) and supplemented with (n-6) and (n-3) LCP from an animal phospholipid concentrate (groups C and C+E). Vitamin E (500 mg vitamin E/kg fat) was added to diets B+E and C+E. Tissue fatty acid content and the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione transferase und glutathione peroxidase in liver and brain were measured. Glutathione status, vitamin E and the production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) after incubation of erythrocyte, liver and brain lipids with inducers of enzymatic or non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation was measured.
Results: Group B registered significantly lower total superoxide dismutase activity than group B+. Catalase activity was significantly higher in group C than in group C+E. Hepatic total and reduced glutathione levels were decreased in vitamin E supplemented groups compared to unsupplemented ones. TBARs production in erythrocyte lipids was significantly higher in groups B and C compared to vitamin E supplemented groups B+E and C+E.
Conclusions: This study shows that the addition of vitamin E protected erythrocyte and liver microsome lipids enriched in (n-3) and (n-6) LCP from lipid peroxidation during the postnatal development of rats. The protection was more effectively in group C+E than in group B+E.