Influence of high fat diet and resveratrol supplementation on placental fatty acid uptake in the Japanese macaque

Abstract Introduction Adequate maternal supply and placental delivery of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) is essential for normal fetal development. In humans, maternal obesity alters placental FA uptake, though the impact of diet remains uncertain. The fatty fetal liver observed in offspring of Japanese macaques fed a high fat diet (HFD) was prevented with resveratrol supplementation during pregnancy. We sought to determine the effect of HFD and resveratrol, a supplement with insulin-sensitizing properties, on placental LCPUFA uptake in this model. Methods J. macaques were fed control chow (15% fat, n = 5), HFD (35% fat, n = 10) or HFD containing 0.37% resveratrol (n = 5) prior to- and throughout pregnancy. At ∼130d gestation (term = 173d), placentas were collected by caesarean section. Fatty acid uptake studies using14 C-labeled oleic acid, arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) were performed in placental explants. Results Resveratrol supplementation increased placental uptake of DHA (P