Importance of fatty acids in
fish reproduction
Ms. Aline Dal’Olio Gomes
Physiology Departament – Bioscience Institute - USP
[email protected]
Aquaculture
Why consume?
Structure of FA
4 to 36 carbons
Saturated fatty acids
16-22C are common in nature
Monounsaturated fatty acids
SFA – no double bond
MUFA – one double bound
PUFA – 2 or more double bound (C18)
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
HUFA – 4 or more double bound (C20-22)
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/0815/p345.html
Fatty acids and function
• Energetic source
• Regulation of membranes fluidity
• Eicosanoids precursor – cell signaling
 Nervous system
 Immune system
 Growth
 Reproduction
 Pigmentation
 Disease
Fatty acids biosynthesis
n3
n6
AA
EPA
DHA
Freshwater and marine fish
Freshwater: PUFAs with 18 C (EFA)
> Enzymatic potential
?
Marines: PUFAs with 20-22C
(EFA)
< Enzymatic potential
Reproduction
 Gonadal steroids
HUFAs:
 Spermatozoa membranes
AA (n6) - eicosanoids
 Oocytes quality (vitelogenesis)
EPA (n3) – eicosanoids
 Spawning
DHA (n3) – membranes
(neuronal and
photoreceptor)
 Ontogenesis
 Larval survival
Izquierdo, 2001
Fish farming
Broodstock nutrition
• Quality and amount of proteins
• Vitamins C and E
• Lipids
• Essential fatty acids (EFA)
Diet
Aquaculture
PUFAs C20-22 n3
EPA and DHA
Sustainability – Low cost
PUFAs C18
18:2n6
18:3n3
Enzyme ability of species
Influence of broodstock dietary fatty acids on egg lipid composition in
the tropical teleost Piaractus mesopotamicus
MOREIRA, R. G. ; PARRISH, Christopher Charles ; COLQUHOUN, Alison ; BICUDO, José
Eduardo Pereira Wilken
5th International Congress on the Biology of Fish, 2002
Linseed oil : 18:3n3 (ALA)
Eggs Polar Lipids - DHA, EPA and AA
(%)
Corn oil: 18:2n6 (LA)
Eggs Polar Lipids
30
a
(%)
15
a
a
b
a
a
EPA
AA
Corn Oil
Corn
+ Codoil
Oil
Linseed
a
b
20
a
b
DHA
b
25
25
20
15
10
5
0
Control
a
10
a
5
a
b
0
n3
Control
n6
Corn Oil
n3/n6
Corn
+ Cod
Linseed
oilOil
- Transfer of dietary fatty acids
to the ovaries;
- Conversion capacity of C18
PUFAs to C20 PUFAs.
c
c
c
FO – Fish oil
CPO – Crude palm oil
LSO – Linseed oil
Replace dietary FO with CPO:
- beneficial impact to tilapia reproductive performance;
- reduce costs of broodstock diets;
- contribute to enviromental sustainability.
Fatty acids profile of diets
D1 – Sardine oil + safflower
oil + vevodar oil (AA)
D2 – Menhaden oil
CC – Cultured carp juveniles
CDS – Commercial diet for
salmonids
- DHA/EPA/AA ratio in broodstock diet;
- Low level of AA may reduce spawning quality;
- The commercial diet developed for trout is not
suitable for perch;
- Diets for breeders must be species-specific.
Fatty acids composition of diet.
After cryopreservation
 ↑ MUFAs and ↓ PUFAs in membranes: may
increase resistance to cryopreservation;
 ↑ PUFAs may favor in higher oxidation.
Steroidogenesis
 AA and EPA: eicosanoids precursor
- Prostaglandins (PG)
Phospholipids
FLA / FLC
- Thromboxanes
- Leukotrienes
 PG: potent in regulating steroidogenic
PG2 > PG3
AA
EPA
COX I
PGG2
PGG3
COX II
 High production in ovaries - ovulation
PGH2
PGH3
PG
sintase
PG2
Goetz et al.., 1989; Wade and Van Der Kraak, 1993; Knight et al., 1995
PG3
Steroidogenesis
MIS
LH
AMPc
ATP
PKA
PLA2
StAR
PG2
AA
RNA m StAR
Gene StAR
Nucleo
Freshwater
AA
RD - ↑ AA
ND - ↑ EPA/DHA
PG 2
Marine
It’s particularly important note that nutritional requeriments are
species-specific and the profile diet depends on cultive objective.
Muchas Gracías!
• Comissão Organizadora IV
Congreso International de
Acuacultura
• Juan Ortiz
• Renata Guimarães Moreira
Aline Dal’Olio Gomes
[email protected]