RETINA FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF PIGLETS FED FROM BIRTH WITH A LINOLEIC ACID-RICH VEGETABLE-OIL FORMULA FOR INFANTS

The effects of a vegetable-oil-based formula containing 30% 18:2n-6 (18:2-omega-6), 0.8% 18:3n-3, and no n-6 or n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPs) on retina total lipid, ethanolamine phosphoglyceride (EPG), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) fatty acid composition were studied in neonatal piglets. Term-gestation piglets were fed sow milk (SMF) or the formula (FF) from birth for 5, 10, 15, or 25 d. After 25 d feeding, the 22:6n-3 was reduced by 24% in total lipid, 20% in EPG, and 28% in PC of retinas of FF relative to SMF piglets. A compensatory increase in 22:4n-6 and 22:5n-6 concentrations occured in retina total lipid, EPG, and PC of FF animals. The data suggest that the exclusive feeding of formulas devoid of LCPs and high in 18:2n-6 and/or 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 compromises normal accretion of 22:6n-3 in neonatal piglet retina. The potential reversibility of these changes or their effects on vision are not known.