Modulation of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in murine salivary gland by dietary fatty acid ethyl esters

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of n-9, n-6, and n-3 dietary fatty acid ethyl esters on basal (uninduced) and Fe2+/ascorbat e (induced) lipid peroxidation (LPO) in salivary gland (SG) of mice. Feedin g n-3 ethyl ester polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased the uninduce d and induced LPO in SG homogenates. In contrast, feeding olive oil ethyl e sters (n-9) significantly lowered the induced and uninduced LPO in SG tissu e. Salivary gland susceptibility to LPO increased in the order of: olive oi l < corn oil < safflower oil < n-3 ethyl esters. Olive oil esters in the di et increased primarily the 18:1 levels in SG tissue. Whereas feeding n-3 PU FA notably increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities in SG homogenates, no significant changes were seen between n-9 and n-6 PU FA-fed mice. Lower levels of Vitamin E (Vit E) in the tissues of n-3 PUFA-f ed mice indicate that the higher the dietary Lipid unsaturation, the higher the requirement for Vit E in the diet. Our results indicate that, similar to other organs, salivary gland susceptibility to uninduced or induced oxid ation depends on the source of dietary PUFA. In conclusion, feeding olive o il increases the resistance of SGs to induced and uninduced LPO.