Maternal Diet Enriched with Alpha Linolenic or Saturated Fatty Acids Differentially Regulates Gene Expression in Mice Offspring's liver.

Lipid metabolic disarray in young and adult mice offspring's liver is induced by saturated fatty acids (SFA) but prevented by alpha linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 ω3) in the maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation. The aim of the present study was to analyse the impact of maternal dietary ALA on the liver gene expression in the new-born offspring in comparison to a SFA diet. Methods: C57Bl6/J dams were fed with diets normal in calories but rich in ALA or SFA before mating and during pregnancy. Pups were sacrificed at birth and liver parameters were assessed. Gene expression was characterized by microarray analysis and validated by real time qPCR. Results: ALA compared to SFA in maternal diets during pregnancy, increased polyunsaturated fatty acids while differentially modified fatty acid desaturase activities in offspring liver. Overall, 474 and 662 genes from born pups’ liver, were differentially regulated by ALA and SFA compared to control diet (p<0.05; Fold change 2), respectively. Notably, Per3 was up-regulated by ALA whereas down-regulated by SFA, compared to control diet. Conclusions: ALA and SFA enriched diets differentially affect gene expression pattern in the offspring’s liver. ALA in particular, upregulates genes associated to low adiposity. Effect of maternal diet on mice offspring liver gene expression.

饱和脂肪酸（SFA）可诱导幼年及成年小鼠子代肝脏出现脂质代谢紊乱，而母鼠妊娠与哺乳阶段膳食中的α-亚麻酸（ALA，18:3 ω3）可对此起到预防作用。
本研究旨在对比饱和脂肪酸膳食，分析母鼠膳食中的α-亚麻酸对新生小鼠子代肝脏基因表达的影响。
方法：将C57Bl6/J品系母鼠在交配前及妊娠期间饲喂热量正常但富含α-亚麻酸或饱和脂肪酸的膳食。子代小鼠于出生时处死，对其肝脏相关参数进行检测。通过微阵列分析（microarray analysis）对基因表达特征进行鉴定，并采用实时定量PCR（real time qPCR）完成验证。
结果：母鼠妊娠期间膳食中的α-亚麻酸相较于饱和脂肪酸，可提升子代肝脏中的多不饱和脂肪酸含量，并对脂肪酸去饱和酶活性产生差异化调控。相较于对照膳食，α-亚麻酸与饱和脂肪酸分别调控了新生小鼠子代肝脏中474个和662个基因的差异表达（p<0.05；倍数变化≥2）。值得注意的是，与对照膳食相比，Per3基因在α-亚麻酸处理组中被上调，而在饱和脂肪酸处理组中被下调。
结论：富含α-亚麻酸与饱和脂肪酸的膳食对小鼠子代肝脏的基因表达模式产生差异化影响。其中α-亚麻酸可上调与低体脂相关的基因。母鼠膳食对小鼠子代肝脏基因表达的影响。