Correlated response in plasma fatty acids profile in rabbits selected for environmental sensitivity

Two rabbit lines were divergently selected for incr easing and decreasing environmental variability of litter size at birth. Decreasing litter size variab ility generates more resilient females with less sensitivity to stress and diseases, being a useful selection criterion to improve environmental sensitivity. Fatty acids modulate the immune cell function. Satur ated fatty acids (SFAs) have an inhibitory effect on lymphocyte proliferation, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) exerts a protective and anti-inflammatory effect on macropha ges, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) affect response of lymphocytes by mean of IL-1, IL2, IL-6, TNF as well as prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4. Plasma fatty acids profile was assessed in 10 femal es from the homogeneous line and 12 females from the heterogeneous line from the 12 th generation of selection. The homogeneous line showed higher levels of SFAs (+3.98 ng/ml P=0.90 fo r C14:0; +2.30 ng/ml P=0.98 for C15:0; +54 ng/ml P=0.90 for C16:0 and +29 ng/ml P=0.90 for C18 :0) and MUFAs (+12.0 ng/ml P=0.98 for C16:1 and +53 ng/ml P=0.90 for C18:1n9c) than the heterog eneous line. Besides, this line had also a higher amount of n-3 PUFAs ( +2.18 ng/ml P=0.90 for C18:3n3 and +1.91 ng/ml P=0. 90 for C20:5n3) and a lower amount of n-6 PUFAs (-3.66 ng/ml P=0.96 for C 20:3n6 and -0.28 ng/ml P=0.90 for C20:4n6) than the heterogeneous one. In conclusion, selectio n for environmental sensitivity shows a correlated response in the plasma fatty acids profile.