LINSEED OIL SUPPLEMENTATION IMPROVES LECITHIN CHOLESTEROL ACYLTRANSFERASE AND TISSUE LIPASE ACTIVITIES IN PREGNANT OBESE RATS AND THEIR OFFSPRING.

Objective: The aim of the present work was to study how maternal dietary linseed oil modulates lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and adipose tissue lipase responses to cafeteria diet in rats during pregnancy and lactation and their offspring at weaning and adulthood.Methods: The dams were fed a control (C) or a Cafeteria (CAF) diet enriched or non-enriched with linseed oil at 2, 5%. Changes in serum glucose, total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels, liver and adipose tissue lipids, LCAT, adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) activities were determined at the end of the experiment.Results: The cafeteria diet led to higher energy intake, body weight, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, liver and adipose TC and TG contents and LPL activity in dams and their pups. Pregnant and lactating mothers showed lower HSL activity with any changes in serum LCAT activity. In contrast, their offspring at day 90 had a significant increase in HSL activity and a decrease in LCAT activity. Linseed oil (LO) supplementation modulates liver and adipose tissue TC and TG contents in both control and obese dams and their offspring, with beneficial effects resulting in lower body weight, decreased in TC,TG, low density lipoprotein-high density lipoprotein1(LDL-HDL1-C), increased in HDL2,3-C,serum LCAT activity and up-regulated lipolytic enzyme activities.Conclusion: The supplement of linseed oil in the diet of pregnant and lactating dams is effective in amelioration of lipid profile and modulation of enzyme activities in these dams and their offspring which might contribute to prevent obesity and dyslipidemia.Keywords: Linseed oil, Cafeteria diet, Lipid, Enzymes, Pregnancy, Offsprin