Perinatal nutrition enriched with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids attenuates endotoxic shock in newborn rats

Sepsis and septic shock continue to have a high mortality and morbidity in the newborn. Eicosanoids are important mediators in Gram negative septic shock. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3) decrease production of biologically active 2-series eicosanoids. Therefore, we hypothesized that omega-3-enriched diet could decrease 2-series eicosanoids and attenuate endotoxic shock in newborn rats. Sprague-Dawley rat dams were fed with either omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-enriched diet (omega-3 PURA) or omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid enriched diet (omega-6PUFA; controls) from the 16th day of gestation until 10 days after parturition. In 10 day old rats, shock was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharide. The omega-3PUFA decreased the mortality of endotoxic shock. In omega-6PUFA, lipopolysaccharide induced hyperglycemia at 2 h and hypoglycemia thereafter without an elevation in plasma insulin concentration, omega-3PUFA attenuated the hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. omega-3PUFA attenuated the decrease of liver phosphoenolpyruvate ca-boxykinase mRNA abundance, suggesting preserved gluconeogenesis. Therefore, perinatal feeding with omega-3PUFA was beneficial in attenuating glucose dyshomeostasis in newborn rats with endotoxic shock and may be a novel approach to the prevention of endotoxic shock in the newborn.