Effect of dietary complex lipids on the biosynthesis of piglet brain gangliosides

Gangliosides are complex lipids found in mammalian milk and are known for their roles in intestinal health and brain development of the newborn. However, the mechanism(s) involved in the impact of dietary gangliosides on brain metabolism is not fully understood. The present study evaluates the effect of diets containing complex lipids rich in milk-derived ganglioside GD3 on the biosynthesis of gangliosides in the frontal lobe of a piglet model. The results show higher levels of incorporation of deuterium in the a-series (GM1 and GD1a containing stearic acid) in samples from piglets fed milk containing 18.2 ug/mL of GD3 compared to those fed milk containing 25 ug/mL of GD3. This could suggest that the gangliosides from the diet (containing GD3) may be used as precursor for de novo biosynthesis of brain gangliosides from a-series or lead to reduction of de novo biosynthesis of these gangliosides. This effect was more pronounced in the left compared to the right brain hemisphere.