INSTITUTE OF PHYSIOLOGY CAS - The role of intestine in the metabolic effects of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids

Dietary supplementation with Omega-3 such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may protect against obesity while exerting hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory effects. While the effects of omega-3 on lipid metabolism in the liver are relatively well known, changes in intestinal metabolism due to omega-3 administration have not yet been explored in detail. Our previous studies showed that metabolic effects are stronger when omega-3 are administered as phospholipids (Rossmeisl et al., PlosOne 2012). The main goal of this project is to identify the nature of metabolic effects of omega-3 administered in different lipid forms (triacylglycerols, phospholipids, wax esters), mainly with regard to the possible involvement of the intestine in these effects.

Experiments will be performed in mice under obesogenic conditions induced by high-fat feeding, with the following specific aims:

to assess the bioavailability of EPA and DHA using the so-called Omega-3 index as well as at the level of intestine;
to identify the most regulated cellular processes that are affected in the intestine by dietary interventions with novel omega-3 concentrates;
to compare lipid transport capacity and chylomicron secretion in mice previously fed high-fat diets supplemented with different lipid forms of omega-3;
to reveal potential effects of chronic dietary intake of omega-3 with regard to modulation of endocrine function of the gastrointestinal system.

Supported by the CSF project no. 16-08124S (2016-2018, PI: Olga Horakova, PhD)