Dietary docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA) has been shown to exert beneficial effects on coronary heart disease including the prevention of ischemia reperfusion injury. The ability to acutely infuse DHA to the heart to prevent ischemia reperfusion injury is a potentialy valuable tool in planned surgery where reperfusion and/or ischemia will take place including coronary artery bypass surgery and angioplasty. In the present study, hearts from chow-fed (AIN-93M) Sprague Dawley rats (male) 9-12 weeks of age were isolated and artificially perfused. The protocol included: 30 min stabilization period, 30 min global no flow ischemia, 15 min fatty acid infusion with reperfusion, and 75 min reperfusion in the absence of fatty acids. The fatty acid infusions included 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 or 120 µM of either palmitate or DHA complexed to 3% essentially fatty acid free bovine serum albumin as well as a vehicle control. Heart functional data was recorded continuously and total heart infarct volume was determined after staining with triphenyltetrazolium chloride. DHA at 10µM significantly reduced the infarction area at the end of the reperfusion period compared to that observed in the10µM of palmitate and vehicle control conditions. Infarction areas after infusions with DHA or palmitate were similar to controls after 20-60 µM infusions and greater than controls after 80-120 µM infusions, except for the 100 µM palmitate conditions which were similar to the low and high doses. In this model of infusion, 120 µM of fatty acid was the maximum amount of DHA tolerated, as several hearts went into fibrillation and did not recover and failed to complete the reperfusion at concentrations greater than 120 µM of DHA. DHA and palmitate also exerted dose dependent effects on functional parameters. In summary, infusion of DHA and palmitate cause dose dependent effects on heart function.

Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) have been viewed as either beneficial or neutral with respect to health; however, recent evidence suggests that MUFA may be associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease. Sex differences in MUFA composition have been reported in both rats and humans that may be mediated by sex hormones. Therefore, differences in fatty acid and enzyme expression were examined in male and female rats. HepG2 cells treated with 17β-estradiol, progesterone and testosterone (0, 10, 30 and 100 nM), and ovariectomized female rats with hormone implants (sham, no treatment, estradiol, progesterone, and estradiol plus progesterone) examined the role of sex hormones in MUFA metabolism. MUFA concentrations were determined by gas chromatography. The mRNA and protein expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase and elongase 6, key enzymes involved in MUFA biosynthesis, were measured by real-time PCR and immunoblotting, respectively. Elongase 6 protein expression was higher in females as compared with males, increased with estradiol and progesterone treatment of HepG2 cells, and was higher in ovariectomized rats treated with estradiol. Elongase 6 expression was also decreased in HepG2 cells treated with testosterone. In contrast, the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase did not appear to be associated with sex or sex hormones in HepG2 cells, although ovariectomized rats treated with estradiol plus progesterone had increased stearoyl-CoA desaturase protein levels compared with sham controls. Sex differences and differences after hormonal treatments were observed in the fatty acid concentrations of MUFA and immediate MUFA substrates including 16:0, 16:1n-7, 18:0, 18:1n-7 and 18:1n-9. These differences in MUFA are consistent with the changes in elongase 6 expression. The effect of sex and hormone status on elongase 6 has not been previously examined, but these results suggest elongase 6 is an important factor in determining MUFA composition. These sex and hormonal differences in MUFA composition may contribute to sex differences in obesity and cardiovascular disease. Further work examining other factors involved in MUFA composition including oxidation, synthesis of complex lipids and the effect of diet is required.

This research examined the quantitative effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on juvenile cobia Rachycentron canadum with a mean initial weight of 10g and fed for 8 weeks. Four experimental diets that contained 16% crude lipid and 0%, 0.5%, 1.0% or 2.0% CLA were compared. At the end of the growth trial there was no significant differences in growth parameters. With increased CLA supplement, the body lipid content tended to reduce and protein content was significantly decreased. Increased dietary CLA caused significantly decreased hepatic FAS activity. Hepatic ME activity was decreased significantly in 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% CLA treatment, while no significant effect was detected on hepatic G6PDH activity. Total lipid contents of the liver and visceral fatty depot were significant decreased in 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% CLA treatment. There was a significant decrease in lipid content in the ventral muscle when CLA was supplemented at 0.75%, 1% and 2%. Fish fed 0.5% CLA had a lower adipocyte density in dorsal muscle, while fish fed 2% CLA treatment had a larger size of adipocytes in the liver and dorsal muscle. Gene expression of PPAR-£\ and PPAR-£^ showed no definite trend. Significant deposition of CLA was found in the liver, ventral muscle, dorsal muscle and visceral fatty depot of the cobia. The deposition ratio of cis-9, trans-11 CLA was slightly higher than that of trans-10, cis-12 CLA. Dietary CLA also affected the deposition of other fatty acids. Increased dietary inclusion of CLA significantly increased the total percentages of saturated fatty acids (SFA) but significantly decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). However DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) contents of the visceral fatty depot were significantly increased. In terms of immune response, dietary CLA had no effect on respiratory burst activities of head kidney phagocytes. Serum of fish fed 0.5% CLA had significantly increased lysozyme activities. In conclusion, dietary CLA affected the metabolism of lipid and fatty acid composition of cobia juveniles, and enhanced slightly immune responses. As CLA can deposit in the tissues of cobia, production of CLA-containing fish as a functional food is thus possible in cobia through dietary manipulation. An supplemental rate of 0.5% CLA is the optimal concentration considering fish nutrition and cost effectiveness.

Thesis--Faculté de médecine de Paris, 1871. / Title continuation and author statement transposed from head of title. "Faculté de médecine de Paris, no. 33." Dédicace (p. 3) followed by a manuscript revision of the dedicatory text in ink, apparently in the author's hand. Number 4 in a bound vol. of 6 dissertations. DNLM DNLM Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Supervisor: Hung-wen Liu. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available from UMI.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1989.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1989.

published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Chemistry / Master / Master of Philosophy