Metabolism of arachidonic and adrenic acids in molecular species of gycerophospholipids in mouse brain

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6619035

Harder, H W

Arachidonic acid, the precursor of prostaglandins and other eicosanoids, is very important for normal function and pathophysiology in nearly all tissues. The content of arachidonic acid is particularly large in the brain which also contains relatively large amounts of adrenic acid, the elongation product of arachidonic acid. These fatty acids are found in the glycerophospholipids. Unesterified (/sup 3/H)arachidoninc acid (20:4) and (/sup 14/C)adrenic acid (22:4) complexed to bovine serum albumin, were simultaneously injected into the left lateral ventricles of C3H mice. A 400-fold larger mass of 22:4 relative to 20:4 was used. At selected times following injection, brains were frozen and lipids were extracted for analysis of incorporation of radioactivity into diacylglycerols, tricyglycerols, total phospholipids, and the molecular species ethanolamine, choline and inositol glycerophospholipids. The greatest uptake of arachidonic acid was found in some molecular species of the choline plasmalogens. This suggests an important function for such molecules. The suggested function is in signal transduction across cell membranes following activation of receptors. This process may stimulate the hydrolysis of choline plasmalogens with the release of arachidonic acid which can then be metabolized to prostaglandins, leukotrienes, or other biologically potent compounds.

• Research Organization: Ohio State Univ., Columbus (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6619035
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALBUMINS
ANIMALS
ARACHIDONIC ACID
BIOCHEMISTRY
BODY
BRAIN
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHEMISTRY
ESTERS
HEART
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIPIDS
MAMMALS
METABOLISM
MICE
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHOSPHOLIPIDS
PROSTAGLANDINS
PROTEINS
RODENTS
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES