Content of Fatty Acid and Eicosanoids in Muscle and Intestinal Tissue of C57BL/6 Mice Subjected to Long-Term Caloric...

Caloric restriction (CR) is a dietary intervention based on limiting calories relative to the basic energy needs of the organism, which changes the intensity of metabolism, causes changes in the functioning of the endocrine and sympathetic systems, and influences the expression of genes in muscle, heart, and brain cells. During the use of CR, there is a transition from carbohydrate supply to increased fat metabolism. Fatty acids are more or less susceptible to free radicals, depending on their molecular structure. Oxidation (peroxidation) contributes to the production of metabolites (including hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid and hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid), some of which are involved in inflammation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of long-term caloric restriction on the tissue levels of selected fatty acids and fatty acid-derived lipid mediators with pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory properties in skeletal muscle and intestinal tissues. The study was carried out on C57BL/6 mice. During the 8-month experiment, the mice in the study group were fed a 30% calorie restricted diet-according to the Every-Other-Day Diet concept. Analyses were performed on intestinal and muscle tissues collected from animals. Fatty acid derivatives were isolated using solid-phase extraction (C-18 columns) columns, and isolation of fatty acids was performed using a modified Folch method. The compounds were analyzed by liquid and gas chromatography.

CR induced detectable alterations in both fatty acid profiles and lipid mediator concentrations in a tissue-specific manner. However, most of these changes did not remain statistically significant after multiple testing correction.

These findings suggest potential effects of long-term CR on lipid signaling pathways, although the current dataset lacks the statistical power required to draw definitive conclusions. This study highlights the need for further research using larger sample sizes and integrated multiomic approaches to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying lipidomic adaptations to prolonged caloric restriction.