EFFECTS OF LYSINE AND THREONINE FORTIFICATION OF BREAD DURING GESTATION AND LACTATION ON OFFSPRING BRAIN LIPID DEVELOPMENT

Abstract– Offspring brain lipid development has been studied following the amino acid fortification of wheat diet fed to pregnant and lactating rats. Comparisons are made with a 13% casein diet which contains a similar quantity of protein of known high quality, with a 26% casein diet, and with a standard laboratory diet. Increased maternal energy intake was found, particularly during lactation, with protein quality improvement. Offspring of mothers receiving the unsupplemented bread diet had lower total brain cholesterol, phospholipid, cerebroside-sulfatide, and (for 4 of the 5 other diets) ganglioside-NANA levels in comparison to offspring whose mothers received the other diets. Brain cerebroside-sulfatide and cholesterol concentrations were also lower in the offspring whose mothers received the unsupplemented bread, suggesting impaired myelin formation. Phospholipid and ganglioside-NANA concentrations were not lower. Fortification of the bread diet with lysine resulted in increases in both the total levels and concentrations of cerebroside-sulfatide and cholesterol. When both lysine and threonine were added, the cerebroside-sulfatide and cholesterol levels and concentrations were similar to or greater than values for the two casein diets and the standard laboratory diet. The 26% casein diet did not result in higher lipid values than obtained with the 13% casein diet. This study demonstrates the adequacy of amino acid supplementation of a maternal cereal protein diet in allowing normal offspring brain lipid development.