Maternal dietary lipids modify composition of bone lipids and ex vivo prostaglandin E-2 production in early postnatal Japanese quail

This study examined the effects of maternal dietary lipids on fatty acid co mposition and ex vivo prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) biosynthesis in bone tissu es of progeny of Japanese quail. Laying hens were fed a basal diet containi ng soybean oil (SBO), hydrogenated soybean oil (HSBO), poultry fat (PF), or menhaden fish oil (FO) at 50 g/kg of diet. Fertilized eggs were incubated, and newly hatched quail were used for tibial fatty acid analysis and PGE(2 ) measurement or were fed an identical diet until 2 wk of age. Yolks and ti biae of newly hatched quail from hens fed the SBO diet contained higher lev els of total n-6 fatty acids and arachidonic acid [AA; 20:4(n-6)], whereas those from hens consuming the FO diet had increased concentrations of total n-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA; 20:5(n-3)], docosapentaenoic acid [22:5(n-3)], docosahexaenoic acid [DHA; 22:6(n-3)], and total saturate d fatty acids (SAT) but greatly reduced amounts of AA in egg yolks and tibi ae. The maternal diet containing HSBO resulted in the accumulation of trait s 18:1 egg yolks and tibiae of newly hatched quails. At 1 wk of age, the co ncentrations of EPA, DHA, and traits 18:1 in tibiae still reflected the mat ernal dietary fatty acid profile. At 2 wk of age, however, differences in f atty acid composition between treatments had disappeared. Addition of FO or HSBO to the maternal diet significantly lowered the ex vivo PGE(2) product ion of tibiae in newly hatched quail compared to those from hens fed SBO or PF diet. These results suggest that maternal dietary lipids may have the p otential to influence bone metabolism of embryos by modifying the fatty aci d composition of this tissue.