Pancreatic lipase and its related protein 2 are regulated by dietary polyunsaturated fat during the postnatal

Ruth Z Birk1, Karen S Regan, Elizabeth Boyle-Roden

  • 1The Institute for Applied Biosciences, Department of Biotechnology Engineering., Ben-Gurion University. P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. rbirk@bgumail.bgu.ac.il

Pediatric Research
|June 8, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Dietary fat composition significantly impacts pancreatic lipase (PL) and related proteins (PLRP1, PLRP2) gene expression in developing rats. High polyunsaturated fat down-regulates PLRP2, indicating early developmental regulation.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Developmental Biology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Gene expression of pancreatic lipase (PL) and related proteins (PLRP1, PLRP2) exhibits an anticoordinate developmental pattern.
  • The influence of dietary fat on these proteins during the preweaning stage remains largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the regulatory effects of diet composition and postnatal development on pancreatic lipase (PL), PLRP1, and PLRP2 expression.
  • To determine if dietary fat influences these lipases as early as the suckling period.

Main Methods:

  • Pregnant rats were fed a low-fat diet, and offspring were exposed to low-, medium-, or high-fat diets from lactation onwards.
  • Milk fatty acid profiles were analyzed, and gene expression (mRNA levels) and activity of PL, PLRP1, and PLRP2 were assessed at various developmental time points (d15, d21, d28, d56).

Main Results:

  • Dietary fat and postnatal development significantly affected pancreatic lipase (PL) activity and mRNA levels, with effects observed as early as day 15.
  • PLRP1 and PLRP2 mRNA levels were significantly influenced by development, showing an anticoordinate pattern relative to PL.
  • High polyunsaturated fat diets significantly down-regulated PLRP2 mRNA in suckling rats (d15).

Conclusions:

  • Pancreatic lipase (PL) and PLRP2 gene expression are anticoordinately regulated by dietary polyunsaturated fat content.
  • These regulatory effects commence as early as the preweaning developmental phase.