Age dependent incorporation of 14C-DHA into rat brain and body tissues after dosing various 14C-DHA-esters

Graf, B.A.; Duchateau, G.S.M.J.E.; Patterson, A.B.; Mitchell, E.S.; van Bruggen, P.; Koek, J.H.; Melville, S.; Verkade, H.J.

doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2010.05.004

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Volume 83, Issue 2 , Pages 89-96, August 2010

Age dependent incorporation of ¹⁴C-DHA into rat brain and body tissues after dosing various ¹⁴C-DHA-esters☆

B.A. Graf
- Unilever R&D Vlaardingen, PO Box 114, 3130AC Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
- Correspondence to: Unilever R&D Vlaardingen, Olivier van Noortlaan 120, 3133 AT Vlaardingen, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31104605473; fax: +31104605993.
G.S.M.J.E. Duchateau
- Unilever R&D Vlaardingen, PO Box 114, 3130AC Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
A.B. Patterson
- Charles River Laboratories, Tranent, Edinburgh EH33 2NE, UK
E.S. Mitchell
- Unilever R&D Vlaardingen, PO Box 114, 3130AC Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
P. van Bruggen
- Unilever R&D Vlaardingen, PO Box 114, 3130AC Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
J.H. Koek
- Unilever R&D Vlaardingen, PO Box 114, 3130AC Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
S. Melville
- Charles River Laboratories, Tranent, Edinburgh EH33 2NE, UK
H.J. Verkade
- University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands

Received 3 February 2010; received in revised form 19 May 2010; accepted 23 May 2010. published online 28 June 2010.

Abstract

Introduction

The omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) accounts for 10% of fatty acids in human brain and is critical for neuronal function and brain development. Mechanisms of transport, accumulation and conservation of DHA in the brain are unclear. The objective of the study was to quantify the age dependent DHA incorporation into the brain of 2-, 4- or 10-week-old rats after a bolus dose of different DHA-esters.

Methods

Rats were gavaged with ¹⁴C-DHA-TAG, ¹⁴C-DHA-PL or ¹⁴C-DHA-TAG+PL at 2mgDHA/kg BW. After 24h the distribution of radioactivity in body and brain regions was determined using quantitative whole body autoradiography (QWBA). Radiolabeled compounds were extracted from the brains to determine the identity of the radiolabeled compounds.

Results

Accumulation of orally ingested ¹⁴C-DHA in rat brain was less than 1% of the dose and decreased with age. Ester specific differences were seen only in 10-week-old rats, where oral ¹⁴C-DHA-PL delivered a 2-fold higher accretion of radioactivity in the brain.