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Biochemical, Molecular, and Genetic Mechanisms

In Utero and Postnatal Exposure to Long Chain (n-3) PUFA Enhances Intestinal Glucose Absorption and Energy Stores in Weanling Pigs^1,2

³ Departments of Food Science and Human Nutrition and Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 and ⁴ JBS United, Sheridan, IN 46069

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mspurloc{at}iastate.edu.

The aim of this research was to determine whether feeding gestating and lactating sows (n-3) PUFA [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and/or docosahexenoic acid (DHA)] or coconut fat (saturated fat) influences ex vivo glucose absorption in the proximal jejunum and glucose and glycogen concentration of liver and muscle of their offspring at weaning. Sows were fed 1 of 4 diets for 150 d, which included the entire gestation and lactation periods. The diets consisted of basal corn/soybean meal (CONT), CONT + protected EPA and DHA-rich fish oil (PFO), CONT + DHA Gold fat (DHAGF), and CONT + coconut fat (COCO). All tissues were collected from piglets (n = 4 per treatment) following a 24-h period of food deprivation, which was initiated at weaning. Proximal jejunum samples were mounted in modified Ussing chambers for transport determinations. Relative to the CONT (7 µA/cm²), active glucose transport was greater (P = 0.013) in piglets from sows fed the PFO (30 µA/cm²) and DHAGF (40 µA/cm²) diets, but not the COCO diet (19 µA/cm²; pooled SEM = 5). Likewise, jejunum expression of glucose transporter 2 and sodium glucose transporter 1 protein tended (P < 0.10) to be greater in piglets from dams fed the PFO and DHAGF diets, as did AMP-activated protein kinase activity. Piglets' muscle glycogen was greater than in CONT (34 ± 5.2 mg/g wet tissue) only in piglets from dams fed the DHAGF (46 ± 5.2 mg/g wet tissue; P < 0.05). These results indicate that (n-3) PUFA, particularly DHA, improves intestinal glucose absorption and muscle glycogen concentrations in newly weaned pigs. These findings may also have important implications for human mothers and infants.