Perinatal nutrition enriched with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids attenuates endotoxic shock in newborn rats

• Published in: Shock (Augusta, Ga.) Ga.), 1996-10, Vol.6 (4), p.263-266
• Main Authors: Farolan, L R, Goto, M, Myers, T F, Anderson, C L, Zeller, W P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Blotting, Northern; Dietary Fats, Unsaturated - pharmacology; Dinoprostone - blood; Dinoprostone - metabolism; Eicosanoids - metabolism; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - pharmacology; Fatty Acids, Omega-6; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - pharmacology; Female; Lactic Acid - blood; Liver - enzymology; Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) - genetics; Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) - metabolism; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal - drug effects; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Shock, Septic - metabolism; Shock, Septic - mortality
• ISSN: 1073-2322
• DOI: 10.1097/00024382-199610000-00007

Sepsis and septic shock continue to have a high mortality and morbidity in the newborn. Eicosanoids are important mediators in Gram negative septic shock. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3) decrease production of biologically active 2-series eicosanoids. Therefore, we hypothesized that omega-3-enriched diet could decrease 2-series eicosanoids and attenuate endotoxic shock in newborn rats. Sprague-Dawley rat dams were fed with either omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-enriched diet (omega-3 PURA) or omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid enriched diet (omega-6PUFA; controls) from the 16th day of gestation until 10 days after parturition. In 10 day old rats, shock was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharide. The omega-3PUFA decreased the mortality of endotoxic shock. In omega-6PUFA, lipopolysaccharide induced hyperglycemia at 2 h and hypoglycemia thereafter without an elevation in plasma insulin concentration, omega-3PUFA attenuated the hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. omega-3PUFA attenuated the decrease of liver phosphoenolpyruvate ca-boxykinase mRNA abundance, suggesting preserved gluconeogenesis. Therefore, perinatal feeding with omega-3PUFA was beneficial in attenuating glucose dyshomeostasis in newborn rats with endotoxic shock and may be a novel approach to the prevention of endotoxic shock in the newborn.