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The fatty acid composition of glycerolipids in nerve, brain, and other tissues of the streptozotocin diabetic rat

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Abstract

The fatty acid composition of individual glycerolipids in brain and sciatic nerve of rats made diabetic with streptozotocin and sacrificed 8 weeks later was determined and compared to the alterations that occurred in liver and kidney glycerlipids. A substantial decrease in the proportion of arachidonic acid and increases in the relative content of linoleic and docosahexenoic (22∶6n3) acids occurred in the phosphoglycerides of visceral tissues from diabetic animals as reported by others. In contrast, except for a small rise in the percentage of linoleic acid, no consistent changes in fatty acid composition of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, ethanolamine plasmalogen, phosphatidylinositol or phosphatidylerrine from brain or nerve were detected. The fatty acids of triacylglycerol associated with nerve exhibited alterations similar to those characteristic of liver. The differences which developed as a result of diabetes were completely prevented if animals were maintained continuously on insulin commencing shortly after administration of streptozotocin. It is concluded that the fatty acid composition of brain and nerve phosphoglycerides are unusually resistant to alteration in the diabetic animal and that consequently, changes in bulk membrane fluidity are unlikely to contribute to functional abnormalities displayed by diabetic peripheral nerve.

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Abbreviations

PC:

phosphatidylcholine

PE:

phosphatidylethanolamine

EP:

ethanolamine plasmalogen

PS:

phosphatidylserine

PI:

phosphatidylinositol

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences, University Of Houston, 77004, Houston, TX

    Chorng-Jly Lin & Joseph Eichberg

  2. Department of Anatomy, Indiana University School of Medicine, 46223, Indianapolis, IN

    Richard Peterson

Authors
  1. Chorng-Jly Lin
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  2. Richard Peterson
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  3. Joseph Eichberg
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Special Issue dedicated to Dr. Eugene Kreps.

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Lin, CJ., Peterson, R. & Eichberg, J. The fatty acid composition of glycerolipids in nerve, brain, and other tissues of the streptozotocin diabetic rat. Neurochem Res 10, 1453–1465 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00988859

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