P. Miljanich

Linolenic acid deficiency.

Linolenic acid deficiency has not been demonstrated clearly in warm blooded animals, yet circumstantial evidence suggests that n−3 fatty acids may have functions in these animals. The fact that several species of fish definitely require dietary n−3 fatty acids indicates that n−3 fatty acids have important and specific functions in these animals and suggests that such functions may also be present in warm blooded animals. It is also true that n−3 fatty acid distribution in tissues of birds and mammals appears to be under strict metabolic control, and that this complex metabolic control mechanism apparently has survived evolutionary pressure for a very long time. So far, attempts to produce linolenic acid deficiency in mammals have not revealed an absolute requirement for n−3 fatty acids. If functions for n−3 fatty acids do exist in warm blooded animals, it seems probable that they may be located in the cerebral cortex or in the retina, because these tissues normally contain high concentrations of n−3 fatty acids.

Linolenic acid deficiency: Changes in fatty acid patterns in female and male rats raised on a linolenic acid-deficient diet for two generations

Rats were fed for two generations a purified, linolenic acid-deficient diet in which the only source of lipid was purified methyl linoleate. This diet contained about 38 mg linolenic acid/kg diet. Control rats were given the same diet supplemented with methyl linolenate (2,500 mg/kg diet). Male and female rats ranged in age from weanling pups to adults. Lipids were extracted from liver, brain, kidney, spleen, heart, muscle, gastrointestinal tract, lung, ovary, testis, adrenal, plasma, erythrocytes, retina, and adipose tissue. Fatty acids of major phospholipid classes (choline phosphoglycerides, ethanolamine phosphoglycerides, and mixed serine phosphoglycerides plus inositol phosphoglycerides) or of total lipid extracts were measured by gas liquid chromatography. Growth rates and organ weights were similar in control and linolenic acid-deficient rats. The major effect of the deficiency was to lower the proportions of n−3 fatty acids, especially 22∶6 n−3, in all the organs analyzed. Docosahexaenoic acid (22∶6 n−3) was mainly replaced by 22∶5 n−6 in deficient rats. The greatest changes in composition were found in brain, heart, muscle, retina, and liver.

Depletion of docosahexaenoic acid in retinal lipids of rats fed a linolenic acid-deficient, linoleic acid-containing diet

Rats were raised for 2 generations on a diet in which 1.25% methyl linoleate was the only source of fat. Control rats were given 1.0% methyl linoleate plus 0.25% methyl linolenate. Lipids were extracted from retinas and their fatty acids were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Docosahexaenoic acid accounted for 33.8% of total fatty acids in control retinas, for 13% of fatty acids in first-generation deficient retinas, and for 2.7% of fatty acids in second-generation deficient retinas.

Sex differences in the metabolism of phosphatidyl cholines in rat liver

Abstract 1. 1. Mature male and female rats were injected intraperitoneally with tracer doses of [ Me - 14 C]methionine, then were killed 20, 40, 60, and 120 min afterwards. 2. 2. Liver phosphatides from both sexes were separated by thin-layer chromatography and the phosphatidylcholine (PC) divided into 3 subfractions. Determinations of fatty acid composition and measurements of radioactivity of the phosphatide fractions were made. 3. 3. The fatty acid composition of the fastest-moving PC subfraction resembled that of the phosphatidylethanolamine fraction and had a higher proportion of stearic and arachidonic acids than did the other slower-moving fractions. 4. 4. Female rats had a higher proportion of stearic and arachidonic acids in their fast moving PC than did males and the specific activity of this fraction was also higher in females. 5. 5. The results indicated that methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine produced PC having a high proportion of stearic and arachidonic acids. The sex difference in these fatty acids in the liver PC appeared to have resulted from the higher rate of PC synthesis via methylation in female rats than in males.

A rapid procedure for locating double bonds in unsaturated fatty acids.

Abstract We have presented a rapid method for determining the locations of the double bonds in unsaturated fatty acids. Fatty acid esters are oxidized with permanganate to form new fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids, and these products are analyzed by GLC. The major components of a mixture of isomers can be quickly identified, and their approximate proportions measured.

Analysis of fatty acid mixtures : comparison of two " absolute " methods of determination.

Abstract We have applied a method using an internal standard to the determination of absolute quantities of fatty acids; these quantities are more fundamental than the relative or percentage values usually obtainable by gas-liquid chromatography. The use of weight units allows direct comparison of different samples, and removes the dependence of individual values on the values of all the other components produced by the use of percentages. Use of the internal standard gives data comparable with those of older methods, but is applicable to much smaller samples. In addition to its speed and convenience it corrects automatically for small errors in manipulation during preparation of the samples for analysis; in particular, this method automatically corrects for the unknown losses which occur during injection of a sample into the gas-liquid chromatography apparatus. The internal standard method is particularly useful for samples which are too small for independent measurement of the weight of total fatty acid.

Effect of low methionine, choline deficient diets upon major unsaturated phosphatidyl choline fractions of rat liver and plasma

To see how the metabolism of specific phosphatidyl choline fractions might be affected when only a limited source of methyl groups was available, rats were fed for 7 days a low methionine, cholinedeficient diet or one supplemented with either choline or methionine. Prior to killing, they were injected with14C-methyl methionine and liver and plasma phosphatidyl choline isolated and separated by argentation chromatography into 3 major unsaturated fractions. Fatty acid composition and radioactivity of the fractions were determined. Deficient rats had reduced total liver phosphatidyl choline when compared with the supplemented groups, but the proportions of 20∶4 and 22∶6 fatty acids in the total phosphatidyl choline were unchanged. Plasma phosphatidyl choline also was reduced sharply by the deficiency, as was its proportion of 20∶4 fatty acid. Specific activities of the liver 22∶6, 20∶4, and 18∶2 phosphatidyl choline fractions showed that deficient rats had less radioactivity in their 20∶4 and 18∶2 phosphatidyl choline than did the supplemented animals. Plasma phosphatidyl choline fractions presented a similar pattern. Feeding methionine or choline nearly doubled radioactive methyl group incorporation into the 20∶4 phosphatidyl choline fraction of liver and plasma, while incorporation into the 22∶6 phosphatidyl choline was reduced or unchanged. The results suggested that, in the rat, limited availability of methyl groups altered the metabolism of liver and plasma phosphatidyl choline fractions. Methionine, as a source of labile methyl groups, appears necessary for the normal synthesis of certain unsaturated phosphatidyl choline fractions (particularly 20∶4 phosphatidyl choline). Transmethylation of phosphatidyl ethanolamine molecular species to the corresponding phosphatidyl choline species may be an important reaction in normal lipid metabolism and transport. Relative affinities for incorporation of the labeled methyl groups into the phosphatidyl choline fractions of either deficient or supplemented rats were: 22∶6>20∶4>18∶2.

Dissociation of apolipoprotein A-I from porcine and bovine high density lipoproteins by guanidine hydrochloride

Dissociation of apolipoprotein A-I from pig and steer high density lipoproteins (HDL) deficient in apoA-II was determined by exposing native HDL fractions to 6 M guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn-HCl) at 37 degrees C for periods from 5 min to 18 h. Bovine high density lipoprotein (HDL-B) was isolated at d 1.063--1.100 g/ml while porcine high density lipoprotein (HDL-P) was isolated at d 1.125--1.21 g/ml. Incubation for 5 min with Gdn-HCl resulted in a 45 and 3% loss of apo-A-I from HDL-P and HDL-B, respectively. Exposure to the denaturant for 3 h resulted in a 75% loss of apoA-I from HDL-P and a 30% loss from HDL-B. Analytic ultracentrifugation, patterns paralleled the degree of apoA-I dissociation from each HDL species. The initial flotation peak for HDL-P shifted from F degrees 1.20 2.68 to F degrees 1.20 10.75 after 3 h exposure while HDL-B showed only a small shift from F degrees 1.20 8.30 to F degrees 1.20 8.96 after 3 h exposure. HDL-P particle diameter increased 25% after 5 min of Gdn-HCl treatment and large, flattened structures predominated after 3 h. There was no changes in the size of HDL-B after 5 min exposure and only 16% increase in particle diameter after 3 h. The difference in behavior of HDL-B and HDL-P to Gdn-HCl exposure is discussed in terms of differences in apolipoprotein A-I amino acid composition, interaction of apolipoprotein A-I with phospholipids and the possible involvement of the cholesteryl ester core.

Ethanolamine kinase activity and compositions of diacylglycerols, phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines in livers of choline-deficient rats.

These experiments were performed to find the reasons for the increased concentrations of docosahexaenoyl phosphatidylethanolamines (PE) in livers of choline-deficient rats. We measured the activity of ethanolamine kinase, which catalyzes the first step in PE formation. We also measured the compositions of PE and phosphatidylcholines (PC) and concentrations and fatty acid compositions of diacylglycerols (DG), which are precursors of PE. Young male rats were fed for one week a low-methionine, choline-deficient diet, or the same diet supplemented with choline. Ethanolamine kinase activity was measured in liver cytosol (100,000 g supernatant). Fatty acids were measured in total liver diacylglycerols and in microsomal PE and PC. Ethanolamine kinase activities were equal in choline-deficient and choline-supplemented rats. Concentrations of DG were elevated 6-fold by choline deficiency. The percentage of docosahexaenoic acid (22∶6n−3) in microsomal PE was nearly doubled by choline deficiency. Although the increased concentrations of PE in choline-deficient livers cannot be attributed to increased activity of ethanolamine kinase, the rate of PE formation probably was increased by increases in concentrations of its precursors, including DG. The disproportionate increase in 22∶6n−3 PE probably was caused by a selective formation of PE from DG that contain 22∶6n−3.

Inhibition of desaturation of stearic acid in livers of rats fed ethionine.

The effect of ethionine on the conversion of stearic acid to oleic acid was studied. Rats were fed essential fatty acid (EFA) deficient diet for three weeks, after which time half the animals were fed 0.25% DL-ethionine for nine additional days. Seventeen hours prior to killing, they were fed a slurry of the diet containing 18-14C-stearic acid. Liver triglycerides and phospholipids were extracted and separated and their fatty acid composition and the distribution of radioactivity between stearic and oleic acid was determined. In the tissues studied, oleic acid was maintained at control levels in ethionine-fed rats, but eicosatrienoic acid was significantly depressed. Distribution of radioactivity and specific activity of oleic acid in the triglycerides and phospholipids were significantly reduced by the analogue. In vitro studies of desaturation and chain elongation reactions, with liver microsomes, using 18-14C-stearic and 1-14C-linoleic acids as substrates, showed that ethionine depressed the synthesis of oleic acid from stearic and γ-linolenic from linoleic acid. Elongation of linoleic adie to a 20∶2 fatty acid was unaffected by ethionine. Therefore, the results showed that ethionine inhibited desaturation of stearic to oleic acid in vivo and in vitro and probably also impaired the desaturation of oleic to octadeca-6, 9-dienoic acid. Maintenance of control levels of oleic acid in the tissues of ethionine-fed, EFA deficient rats suggested the presence of synthetic pathways for oleic acid other than via desaturation of stearic acid.