Journal Article

Elevated plasma phospholipid n-3 docosapentaenoic acid concentrations during hibernation

Engvall, Martin, Stenvinkel, Peter, Kindberg, Jonas, Backman-Johansson, Carolina, Strandvik, Birgitta, Giroud, Sylvain, Qureshi, Abdul Rashid, Fröbert, Ole, Painer, Johanna

2023

Overview

Factors for initiating hibernation are unknown, but the condition shares some metabolic similarities with consciousness/sleep, which has been associated with n-3 fatty acids in humans. We investigated plasma phospholipid fatty acid profiles during hibernation and summer in freeranging brown bears (Ursus arctos) and in captive garden dormice (Eliomys quercinus) contrasting in their hibernation patterns. The dormice received three different dietary fatty acid concentrations of linoleic acid (LA) (19%, 36% and 53%), with correspondingly decreased alphalinolenic acid (ALA) (32%, 17% and 1.4%). Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids showed small differences between summer and hibernation in both species. The dormice diet influenced n-6 fatty acids and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentrations in plasma phospholipids. Consistent differences between summer and hibernation in bears and dormice were decreased ALA and EPA and marked increase of n-3 docosapentaenoic acid and a minor increase of docosahexaenoic acid in parallel with several hundred percent increase of the activity index of elongase ELOVL2 transforming C20-22 fatty acids. The highest LA supply was unexpectantly associated with the highest transformation of the n-3 fatty acids. Similar fatty acid patterns in two contrasting hibernating species indicates a link to the hibernation phenotype and requires further studies in relation to consciousness and metabolism

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: alpha-Linolenic Acid / Analysis / Animals / B cells / Bears / Biochemistry and Molecular Biology / Biokemi och molekylärbiologi / Biology and Life Sciences / Body fat / Body temperature / Cell membranes / Consciousness / Diet / Docosahexaenoic acid / Earth Sciences / Eicosapentaenoic acid / Eicosapentaenoic Acid - metabolism / Eliomys quercinus / Environmental aspects / Fatty acids / Fatty Acids - metabolism / Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Fysiologi / Health aspects / Heart / Hibernation / Hibernation - physiology / Hypothermia / Investigations / Linoleic Acid / Linolenic acid / Linolenic acids / Lipids / Medicine and Health Sciences / Metabolism / Monounsaturated fatty acids / Myoxidae - metabolism / Omega-3 fatty acids / Phenotypes / Phospholipids / Phospholipids - metabolism / Physiological aspects / Physiology / Seasonal variations / Sleep / Social Sciences / Ursidae - metabolism / Ursus arctos / Zoologi / Zoology