Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Effects of nitrogen dioxide on fatty acid compositions of red cell membranes, sera, and livers in rats

Journal Article · · Environ. Res.; (United States)

Male Wistar rats were exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO/sub 2/) at concentrations of 4 and 10 ppm for 10 and 7 days, respectively, to obtain evidence of changes in fatty acids of red cell membranes, sera, and liver supernatants. A significant increase in the percentage of arachidonic acid (20:4) to the total fatty acid was observed in red cell membranes during exposure to NO/sub 2/ at both concentrations. This increase accompanied a decrease in palmitic acid (16:0) and/or stearic acid (18:0), so that the ratio of major unsaturated fatty acids to major saturated fatty acids was raised to 1.25- and .133-fold at concentrations of 4 and 10 ppm, respectively. The percentage of 20:4 in serum showed a highly significant increase simultaneously with a less significant decrease in oleic acid (18:1) and linoleic acid (18:2) upon 7-day exposure to 10 ppm NO/sub 2/. A decrease in 16:0 and an increase in 18:0 were also observed with high significance. In addition, the fatty acid composition of serum phosphatidylcholine (PC) paralleled the fatty acid composition of sera, but these changes were more pronounced. The percentage of 20:4 was increased to 1.53-fold that of the control. Exposure to 4 ppm NO/sub 2/ for 10 days resulted in the same profile of changes in serum PC as that of 10 ppm NO/sub 2/ inhalation, although the magnitude of changes was smaller. These results may support the assumption that 20:4 in serum is preferentially incorporated into red cell membranes. Differences between effects of Y and 10 ppm NO/sub 2/ are discussed. (JMT)

Research Organization:
National Inst. for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
OSTI ID:
5657290
Journal Information:
Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 27:1; ISSN ENVRA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English