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Inbred C57BL/6J and DBA/2J Mouse Strains Exhibit Constitutive Differences in Regional Brain Fatty Acid Composition

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Lipids

Abstract

Major behavioral and neurochemical features observed between inbred C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mouse strains can be reproduced within rodent strains following dietary-induced reductions in brain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) composition. It was therefore hypothesized that C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice exhibit constitutive differences in brain DHA composition that are independent of diet. To test this, adult C57BL/6J and DBA/2J prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, ventral striatum, and midbrain fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography. After correction for multiple comparisons, C57BL/6J mice exhibited significantly lower DHA composition in the hippocampus and ventral striatum, but not prefrontal cortex or midbrain, and significantly greater regional arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6):DHA ratios, relative to DBA/2J mice. C57BL/6J mice also exhibited significantly lower regional adrenic acid (ADA, 22:4n-6) composition, and a significantly smaller ADA:ARA ratio, relative to DBA/2J mice. C57BL/6J mice exhibited significantly smaller oleic acid:stearic acid ratio in the hippocampus and ventral striatum relative to DBA/2J mice. Among all mice, DHA composition was positively correlated with the ADA:ARA ratio and inversely correlated with the oleic acid:stearic acid ratio. These data demonstrate that inbred C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mouse strains exhibit constitutive and region-specific differences in fatty acid composition independent of diet, and suggest that heritable genetic factors are an important determinant of central fatty acid composition.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by National Institute of Mental Health grants MH073704 and MH074858 to R.K.M.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45267-0516, USA

    Robert K. McNamara & Jessica Able

  2. Department of Pathology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45237, USA

    Ronald Jandacek, Therese Rider & Patrick Tso

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  1. Robert K. McNamara
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  2. Jessica Able
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  3. Ronald Jandacek
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  4. Therese Rider
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  5. Patrick Tso
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Correspondence to Robert K. McNamara.

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McNamara, R.K., Able, J., Jandacek, R. et al. Inbred C57BL/6J and DBA/2J Mouse Strains Exhibit Constitutive Differences in Regional Brain Fatty Acid Composition. Lipids 44, 1–8 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-008-3244-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-008-3244-8

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