Omega-3 α-linolenic acid and omega-6 linoleic acid are essential fatty acids for health maintenance of human and animals because they are not synthesized in vivo. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid supplementation on in vitro maturation and developmental potential of porcine oocytes. Various concentrations of α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid were added into in vitro maturation medium, and we evaluated the degree of cumulus expansion, oocyte nuclear-maturation rate, blastocyst rate, blastocyst quality, and levels of prostaglandin E2, 17b-estradiol, and progesterone in the spent medium. High doses (100 μM) of α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid supplementation significantly inhibited cumulus expansion and oocyte nuclear maturation, and prostaglandin E2 synthesis also significantly decreased compared with other groups (p < 0.05). Supplementation of 50 μM α-linolenic acid and 10 μM linoleic acid showed higher quality blastocysts in terms of high cell numbers and low apoptosis when compared with other groups (p < 0.05), and synthesis ratio of 17b-estradiol / progesterone also significantly increased compared with control group (3.59 ± 0.22 vs. 2.97 ± 0.22, 3.4 ± 0.28 vs. 2.81 ± 0.19, respectively; p < 0.05). Our results indicated that supplementation with appropriate levels of α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid beneficially affects the change of hormone synthesis (in particular, an appropriate increase in the 17b-estradiol / progesterone synthesis ratio) for controlling oocyte maturation, leading to improved embryo quality. However, high doses of α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid treatment results in detrimental effects.

In order to investigate of the Influence of Mg2+, Ca2+ on α-linolenic acid converted into the eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) forming in plasma lipid and in liver microsomes of rabbit, the animals were fed on the perila oil rich α-linolenic acid or sardine oil rich EPA and DBA diet for 4 weeks were examined. In plasma, liver lipid, Mg2+ was influenced on arachidonic acid(AA), EPA, DHA formative from α-linolenic acid in perilla oil, but stearic acid was increased, Ca2+ was Influenced on stearic acid increased and DHA was decreased. In phospholipid, Mg2+, Ca2+ was influenced on stearic acid increased and DHA was decreased in perilla oil.

To investigate the influence of saturated fats, α-linolenic acid, EPA and DHA on the lipid hydroperoxide concentration and fatty acid composition in liver microsomes and in plasma lipid of rabbits, the animals were fed on the perilla oil rich α-linolenic acid or sardine oil rich EPA and DHA diet for four weeks Were examined. The fatty acid composition of plasma lipid and liver microsomes of rabbits fed on the perilla oil diet was an accumulation of arachidonic acid(AA) 20:4 n-6, eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) 20:5 n-3, and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) 22:6 n-3, The fatty acid composition of plasma lipid and liver microsomes of rabbits fed on the sardine oil was an accumulation of α-linolenic acid(LNA) 18:3 n-3, and arachidonic acid(AA) 20:4. The p/s ratio of rabbits fed on the perilla oil diet changed from 7.4 to 2.27 for plasma lipid and 2.47 for liver microsomes. The concentration of lipid hydroperoxide was 3.48 nmol MDA/ml and 4.35 nmol MDA/ml for plasma lipid and liver microsomes, respectively, in perilla oil diet. The lipid hydroperoxide liver was 4.22 nmol MDA/ml and 67 nmol MDA/ml for plasma lipid and liver microsornes in sardine oil diet.

Soybean has around 20% oil in total seed compound. Fatty acid concentration of soybean oil is about 12% palmitic acid, 4% stearic acid, 23% oleic acid (ω-9), 54% linoleic acid(ω-6) 54% and 8% linolenic acid(ω-3). To improve oxidative stability and quality of oil, the breeding programs mainly focused on reducing saturated fatty acids, increasing oleic acid and reducing linolenic acid in soybean oil. In plant oil, an essential fatty acid omega-3 fatty acid is in the form of α-linolenic acid (ALA) therefore, increasing ALA in soybean oil became one of the breeding goals for human health. In our research group, we have two breeding programs for concentration of ALA in soybean oil. Wild soybeans have almost twice ALA than that in cultivated soybeans. Introgression of alleles from wild soybean to cultivated soybean may lead to the increase of ALA in soybean seed oil for various applications. We developed several backcross populations by elite cultivars x wild soybean to select high ALA with good agronomic traits. In the case of low linolenic acid program, we developed an EMS (ethyl methane sulfonate) mutation population to select low ALA concentration line and found a mutant line with low ALA in seed oil. The scheme for developing high ALA concentration from wild soybean and molecular characterization for low ALA line will be discussed.