Acid Composition Of Ethanolamine Phosphoglycerides Research Articles

Short-term administration of omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil results in increased transthyretin transcription in old rat hippocampus.

Reduced brain levels of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [arachidonic acid and docosahexanoic acid (DHA)] are observed in elderly subjects and patients with Alzheimer's disease. To determine the effects of n-3 fatty acids on aged rat brain, 2-year-old rats were fed fish oil (27% DHA content) for 1 month, and gene expression analysis and fatty acid and molecular species composition of the major phospholipid species were assessed. No significant alteration could be observed in the fatty acid composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides and phosphatidylserines with the exception of DHA, which was slightly higher in brains of rats receiving fish oil. However, a drastic reduction in arachidonic acid in phosphatidylinositoles was observed. The expression of 23 genes was altered in response to fish oil feeding in the hippocampus. The transcription of transthyretin (TTR) was induced by 10-fold as evidenced by microarray analysis and confirmed by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Expression of IL-1 and NO synthase, which has been implicated in the prevention of neurological diseases, was unaltered. TTR is an amyloid beta protein scavenger, so an increase in its expression could prevent amyloid aggregate formation. We believe the beneficial effects of fish oil might be common to other agents, i.e., induce TTR expression, like nicotine and Ginkgo biloba extract.

The role of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in brain: modulation of rat brain gene expression by dietary n-3 fatty acids.

Rats were fed either a high linolenic acid (perilla oil) or high eicosapentaenoic + docosahexaenoic acid (fish oil) diet (8%), and the fatty acid and molecular species composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides was determined. Gene expression pattern resulting from the feeding of n-3 fatty acids also was studied. Perilla oil feeding, in contrast to fish oil feeding, was not reflected in total fatty acid composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides. Levels of the alkenylacyl subclass of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides increased in response to feeding. Similarly, levels of diacyl phosphatidylethanolamine molecular species containing docosahexaenoic acid (18:0/22:6) were higher in perilla-fed or fish oil-fed rat brains whereas those in ethanolamine plasmalogens remained unchanged. Because plasmalogen levels in the brains of rats fed a n-3 fatty acid-enriched diet increased, it is plausible, however, that docosahexaenoic acid taken up from the food or formed from linolenic acid was deposited in this phospholipid subclass. Using cDNA microarrays, 55 genes were found to be overexpressed and 47 were suppressed relative to controls by both dietary regimens. The altered genes included those controlling synaptic plasticity, cytosceleton and membrane association, signal transduction, ion channel formation, energy metabolism, and regulatory proteins. This effect seems to be independent of the chain length of fatty acids, but the n-3 structure appears to be important. Because n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been shown to play an important role in maintaining normal mental functions and docosahexaenoic acid-containing ethanolamine phosphoglyceride (18:0/22:6) molecular species accumulated in response to n-3 fatty acid feeding, a casual relationship between the two events can be surmised.

Effects of parenteral nutrition with high doses of linoleate on the developing human liver and brain

The developmental changes in the fatty acid composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides (EPG) and choline phosphoglycerides (CPG) were studied in the liver and brain of 18 newborn infants with gestational ages ranging from 20 to 44 wk. A small group of five newborns receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) with high doses of linoleic acid (18:2 omega 6) was also studied and compared to controls of the same gestational age to look for effects on the developmental fatty acid patterns of liver and brain EPG and CPG. TPN with Intralipid 20% was given for 4-12 days, the total fat intake being 14.7-90 g (mean +/- S.D. = 47.1 +/- 29.8 g). The main developmental changes in the liver and brain of the control group were an increase in 22:6 omega 3 (docosahexaenoic acid) at the end of gestation and a linear decrease in 20:4 omega 6 (arachidonic acid) and 18:1 omega 9 (oleic acid) in EPG and CPG. A very good correlation in the percent values of these fatty acids in the brain and liver tissues was obtained. Very significant changes in the fatty acid composition of liver EPG and CPG could be found in the infants receiving TPN with Intralipid-mainly an increase in 18:2 omega 6, a decrease in the linoleate elongation/desaturation to longer members of the series and a decrease in the 22:6 omega 3 levels of liver EPG and CPG. In the brain, only an increase in the 18:2 omega 6 value of CPG, not accompanied by any increase in the longer omega 6 fatty acids, could be detected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fatty acid composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides in different areas of the gerbil brain after chronic exposure to trichloroethylene.

Exposure of Mongolian gerbils to trichloroethylene (TCE) (320 ppm) in an inhalation chamber continuously for 3 mo resulted in an altered fatty acid pattern of phospholipid in discrete areas of the brain. Lipids were extracted from four brain regions: the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, the cerebellar vermis posterior, and the brain stem. No changes induced by TCE were found in lipid class distribution among the different regions examined. Whole brain weights and weights of the dissected pieces were also unchanged. In ethanolamine phosphoglycerides from the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus, a decrease was found among long-chain fatty acids derived from linolenic acid with a corresponding increase of the linoleic acid family. The cerebellar vermis and the brain stem were less affected. Since areas rich in gray matter were affected more than those with a high proportion of white matter, it seems reasonable to assume that the fatty acid alterations of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides occur mainly in the gray matter. Furthermore, we suggest that the alterations can be a compensatory mechanism for the membrane fluidizing properties of TCE.

Changes in the fatty acid patterns of brain phospholipids during development of rats fed peanut or rapeseed oil, taking into account differences between milk and maternal food.

The nature and amount of essential fatty acids in dietary fat play a leading part in the repartition of brain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 and n-6). In order to determine precisely the respective roles of linolenic and linoleic acids in the diet on rat brain development, we used two diets in which the percentage of linolenic acid (18:3 n-3) was different. The animals were fed peanut oil (group A) or rapeseed oil (group B) during pregnancy and throughout lactation. The study of the fatty acid composition of gastric milk showed that the levels of linoleic acid (18:2 n-6) and more so linolenic acid (18:3 n-3) were much lower than in dietary fats. In group B, the 18:3 n-3 level of gastric content was about four times lower (2.4%) than in the maternal diet (8.5%) at the beginning of the suckling period and significantly increased until weaning. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides showed that docosapentaenoic acid delta 7-10-13-16-19 (22:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid delta 4-7-10-13-16-19 (22:6 n-3) levels increased in group B in relation to group A and, on the other hand, the docosapentaenoic acid delta 4-7-10-13-16 (22:5 n-6) level decreased in group B. The sum of (n-3 + n-6) fatty acids did not change in either group B or group A. In our experimental conditions, we found no marked effect of diet composition upon conversion of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid. In summary, linolenic acid can be utilized in the brain (rather than linoleic acid) to provide long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and the amount of n-3 fatty acids would correlate with the desaturation activity of docosatetraenoic acid delta 7-10-13-16 (22:4 n-6) to docosapentaenoic acid delta 4-7-10-13-16 (22:5 n-6).

A chemical study on the development of the human forebrain and cerebellum during the brain ‘Growth spurt’ period. II. Phosphoglyceride fatty acids

The changes of the fatty acid composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides (EPG) and choline phosphoglycerides (CPG) that are associated with the maturation of the human forebrain and cerebellum have been studied. The increase in the n-3 fatty acids and the 22:4(n-6)/22:5(n-6) index in the forebrain during the second half of gestation was confirmed in the present series. In the cerebellum, on the other hand, these two parameters were higher than in the cerebrum and did not show any significant change throughout the period studied. The percentage of 18:1(n-9) changed in an opposite sense in the cerebrum and in the cerebellum, i.e. it decreased with gestational age in the cerebrum, whereas it increased markedly in the cerebellum. Consequently, the 18:0/18:1(n-9) index, which increased with maturation in the cerebrum, decreased in the cerebellum.

Essential fatty acid deficiency and CNS myelin: Biochemical and morphological observations

Essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency was induced by feeding pregnant rats a fat-free diet 10–12 days after impregnation and maintaining the offspring on this diet until 120 days of age. EFA-deficient rats demonstrated marked alterations in the fatty acid composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides (EPG's) from myelin subfractions. A decrease in the fatty acids of the linoleic (n-6) and linolenic (n-3) families was accompanied by an increase in the non-essential fatty acids of the oleic (n-9) family. These alterations decreased the unsaturation index of heavy myelin by 23% and that of light myelin by 10%. The EPG fatty acid composition of heavy myelin from control animals contained a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids than the light myelin which contained more monounsaturated fatty acids. These differences may be a reflection of distinct anatomical locations or functional properties of the subfractions. The differences between light and heavy myelin EPG fatty acids were not maintained during EFA deficiency. Morphologically, 1 μm thick sections revealed vacuoles within the optic nerve of EFA-deficient rats. Ultrastructurally these vacuoles were identified as fibers undergoing Wallerian degeneration and fibers demonstrating intramyelinic splitting. No qualitative changes were found in oligodendrocytes, astrocytes or vascular elements within EFA-deficient optic nerve. EFA deficiency did not alter the diameter of fibers within the optic nerve. These results show that although there is no apparent decrease in the degree of myelination within the optic nerve, morphological changes do occur in fibers of EFA-deficient optic nerve concomitantly with alterations in the EPG fatty acids of myelin subfractions.

Fatty acid composition at the 2‐position of ether‐linked and diacyl ethanolamine and choline phosphoglycerides of human brain tumors

AbstractThe acyl composition of ethanolamine and choline phosphoglycerides from a series of human brain tumors was determined and compared to that of normal human gray matter. Six glioblastomas, one astrocytoma, one oligodendroglioma, and one meningioma were analyzed. The total fatty acid composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides generally had a higher percentage of 18∶1, 18∶2ω6, and 22∶5ω3 and a lower percentage of 22∶6ω3 than that of normal gray matter. Choline phosphoglycerides from the tumors also contained a higher than normal percentage of 18∶2ω6. Separate analysis of the acyl groups at the 2 position of the diacyl and ether‐linked components of the phosphoglycerides revealed that the diacyl component of ethanolamine phosphoglyceride from the tumors had lower than normal amount of 22∶6ω3 and a higher than normal amount of 18∶1 and 18∶2ω6. The acyl composition of ether‐linked ethanolamine phosphoglycerides genearally contained a higher percentage of 20∶4ω6 and a lower percentage of 18∶1 compared to the corresponding fraction from normal gray matter. The astrocytoma analyzed had fatty acid profiles similar to those of the control with the exception of a greater 18∶2ω6 content. These data demonstrate that the composition of the acyl moiety at the 2 position of diacyl and ether‐linked phosphoglycerides of brain tumors differs from the corresponding component from normal gray matter and that the ether‐linked ethanolamine phosphoglycerides provide an important pool of polyunsaturated fatty acids from brain tumor phospholipids.