Lysophosphatidylserine form DHA maybe the most effective as substrate for brain DHA accretion

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for brain and nerve system growth. Phospholipids have high bioavailability, because they are the main components of biomembranes. From these aspects, DHA-bound phospholipids are considered to be good sources for brain DHA accretion. In fact, DHA-bound lysophosphatidylcholine (DHA-LPC) was shown to be more effective than triglyceride by a French group. In this study, the most effective DHA-bound phospholipid on fetal brain DHA accretion was determined by preparing DHA-bound phosphatidylcholine (DHA-PC), DHA-LPC, DHA-bound phosphatidylserine (DHA-PS), and DHA-bound lysophosphatidylserine (DHA-LPS). These four kinds of DHA-bound phospholipids were served to maternal rats for 4 days. Fetal brain, expected mother rat brain, liver, and serum were collected. The results strongly suggested that DHA in the form of LPS should be the most effective phospholipid structure for fetal brain DHA accretion. Effects of the individual prepared DHA-bound phospholipids on tight junction (TJ) of small intestinal epithelial cell monolayer were also examined. Obvious decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance was observed in DHA-bound lysophospholipids especially on DHA-LPS, implying that DHA-LPS is the most effective phospholipid form in TJ opening. Rest on these results, it was concluded that DHA-LPS passes through small intestinal epithelial cell monolayer, and increase the DHA level in the serum of the expected mother rat, then passes through the incomplete blood brain barrier of fetus, and as a result, increases the DHA content in the fetal brain.