Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Phospholipid molecular species composition of developing fetal guinea pig brain

  • Article
  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Adequate accumulation of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids, in particular docosahexaenoic acid (22∶6n−3), into membrane phospholipids is critical for optimal fetal brain development. This process is maximal during the period of rapid neurite outgrowth, neuritogenesis, which precedes the major growth phase, myelination. There is no information about differential changes during gestation to individual brain phospholipid molecular species which contain 22∶6n−3. Such details of brain development would be concealed by total fatty acid analysis of isolated phospholipid classes. We have detailed phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) molecular species compositions in developing fetal guinea pig brain. Total brain PC concentration increased substantially between 40 and 68 (term) d of gestation, corresponding to myelination, while PE increased in a biphasic manner between 25–35 d, which was coincident with onset of neuritogenesis, and 40–68 d. Fetal brain development was accompanied by complex changes in the concentration of individual phospholipid molecular species. During early gestation (25–40 d) 22∶6n−3 was enriched in both PC and PEsn−1 16∶0 molecular species. However, between 40 d and term there was no further increase in brain PC 22∶6n−3 content, while brain PE was significantly enriched in both PE 18∶1/22∶6 and PE18∶0/22∶6. We hypothesize that accumulation of 22∶6n−3 intosn−1 18∶1 and 18∶0 species represents establishment of a 22∶6n−3-containing membrane PE pool which may be turned over more slowly thansn−1 16∶0 species. Identification of specific changes in membrane phospholipids which are associated with defined events in brain development may provide a basis for assigning functional roles to individual molecular species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

HPLC:

high-performance liquid chromatography

PC:

phosphatidylcholine

PE:

phosphatidylethanolamine

PUFA:

polyunsaturated essential fatty acid(s)

References

  1. Neuringer, M., Anderson, G.J., and Connor, W.E. (1988) The Essentiality of n−3 Fatty Acids for the Development and Function of the Retina and Brain,Ann. Rev. Nutr. 8, 517–541.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Dobbing, J., and Sands, J. (1979) Comparative Aspects of the Brain Growth Spurt,Early Human Dev. 3, 79–83.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lin, D.S., Connor, W.E., Anderson, G.J., and Neuringer, M. (1990) Effects of Dietary n−3 Fatty Acids on the Phospholipid Molecular Species of Monkey Brain,J. Neurochem. 55, 1200–1207.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Leat, W.M.F., Curtis, R., Millichamp, N.J., and Cox, R.W. (1986) Retinal Function in Rats and Guinea Pigs Reared on Diets Low in Essential Fatty Acids and Supplemented with Linoleic or Linolenic Acids,Ann. Nutr. Metab. 30, 166–174.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lucas, A., Morley, R., Cole, T.J., Lister, G., and Leeson-Payne, C. (1992) Breast Milk and Subsequent Intelligence Quotient in Children Born Preterm,Lancet 339, 261–264.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Lanting, C.I., Fidler, V., Huisman, M., Towen, B.C.L., and Boersma, E.R. (1994) Neurological Differences Between 9 Year Old Children Fed Breast Milk or Formula Milk as Babies,Lancet 344, 1319–1322.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Clandinin, M.T., Chappell, J.E., Leong, S., Heim, T., Swyer, P.R., and Chance, G.W. (1980) Intrauterine Fatty Acid Accretion Rates in Human Brain: Implications for Fatty Acid Requirements,Early Human Dev. 4, 121–129.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Clandinin, M.T., Chappell, J.E., Jeong, S., Heim, T., Swyer, P.R., and Chance, G.W. (1980) Extrauterine Fatty Acid Accretion in Infant Brain: Implications for Fatty Acid Requirements,Early Human Dev. 4, 131–138.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Burdge, G.C., and Postle, A.D. (1994) Hepatic Phospholipid Molecular Species in the Guinea Pig. Adaptations to Pregnancy,Lipids 29, 259–264.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Burdge, G.C., and Postle, A.D. (1993) Supply and Accumulation of Docosahexaenoic Acid into Developing Fetal Guinea Pig Brain Phosphatidylethanolamine Molecular Species,Early Human Dev. 32, 223. [Abstract]

    Google Scholar 

  11. Sinclair, A.J., and Crawford, M.A. (1972) The Accumulation of Arachidonate and Docosahexaenoate in the Developing Rat Brain,J. Neurochem. 19, 1753–1758.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Wilson, R., and Bell, M.V. (1993) Molecular Species Composition of Glycerophospholipids from White Matter of Human Brain,Lipids 28, 13–17.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hullin, F., Kim, H.-Y., and Salem, N. (1989) Analysis of Aminophospholipid Molecular Species by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography,J. Lipid Res. 30, 1963–1975.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Burdge, G.C., Kelly, F.J., and Postle, A.D. (1993) Mechanisms of Hepatic Phosphatidylcholine Synthesis in the Developing Guinea Pig: Contributions of Acyl Remodelling and ofN-Methylation of Phosphatidylethanolamine,Biochem. J. 290, 67–73.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bligh, E.G., and Dyer, W.J. (1959) A Rapid Method of Total Lipid Extraction and Purification,Can. J. Biochem. 37, 911–923.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Caesar, P.A., Wilson, S.J., Normand, I.C.S., and Postle, A.D. (1988) A Comparison of the Specificity of Phosphatidylcholine Synthesis by Human Fetal Lung Maintained in Either Organ or Organotypic Culture,Biochem. J. 253, 451–457.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Postle, A.D. (1987) Method for the Sensitive Analysis of Individual Molecular Species of Phosphatidylcholine by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Using Post-Column Fluorescence Detection,J. Chromatogr. 415, 41–51.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Pugh, E.L., Kates, M., and Hanahan, D.J. (1977) Characterization of the Alkyl Ether Species of Phosphatidylcholine in Bovine Heart,J. Lipid Res. 18, 710–716.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tyagi, S.R., Burnham, D.N., and Lambeth, J.D. (1989) On the Biological Occurrence and Regulation of 1-Acyl and 1-O-Alkyl-Diradylglycerols in Human Neutrophils. Selective Destruction of Diacyl Species UsingRhizopus Lipase,J. Biol. Chem. 264, 12977–12982.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Leray, C., Sarlieve, L.L., Drefus, H., Massarelli, R., Binaglia, L., and Freysz, L. (1994) Molecular Species of Choline and Ethanolamine Glycerophospholipids in Rat Brain Myelin During Development,Lipids, 29, 77–81.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Burdge, G.C., Hunt, A.N., and Postle, A.D. (1994) Mechanisms of Hepatic Phosphatidylcholine Synthesis in Adult Rat: Effects of Pregnancy,Biochem. J. 303, 941–947.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Samborski, R.W., Ridgway, N.S., and Vance, D.E. (1990) Evidence that only Newly-Made Phosphatidylethanolamine is Methylated to Phosphatidylcholine and that Phosphatidylethanolamine is not Significantly Deacylated-Reacylated in Rat Hepatocytes,J. Biol. Chem. 265, 18322–18329.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child Health, Level G, Centre Block, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, SO16 6YD, Southampton, UK

    Graham C. Burdge & Anthony D. Postle

Authors
  1. Graham C. Burdge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anthony D. Postle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

About this article

Cite this article

Burdge, G.C., Postle, A.D. Phospholipid molecular species composition of developing fetal guinea pig brain. Lipids 30, 719–724 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02537798

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02537798

Keywords

Search

Navigation