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[3-13C] γ-linolenic acid: A new probe for 13C nuclear magnetic resonance studies of arachidonic acid synthesis in the suckling rat

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Lipids

Abstract

Our objective was to develop a suitable probe to study metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the suckling rat pup. [3-13C] γ-Linolenic acid was chemically synthesized, and a 20 mg (Experiment 1) or 5 mg (Experiment 2) dose was injected into the stomachs of 6–10-day-old suckling rat pups that were then killed over a 192 h (8 d) time course. 13C NMR showed that 13C in γ-linolenate peaked in liver total lipids by 12-h post-dosing and that [5-13C]-arachidonic acid peaked in both brain and liver total lipids 48–96 h post-dosing. 13C enrichment in brain γ-linolenic acid was not detected by NMR, but gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry showed that its mass enrichment in brain phospholipids at 48–96 h post-dosing was 1–2% of that in brain arachidonic acid. 13C was present in liver and brain cholesterol and in perchloric acid-extractable water-soluble metabolites in the brain, liver and carcass. We conclude that low but measurable amounts of exogenous γ-linolenic acid do access the suckling rat brain in vivo. The slow time course of [5-13C] arachidonic acid appearance in the brain suggests most of it was probably transported there after synthesis elsewhere, probably in the liver. Some carbon from γ-linolenic acid is also incorporated into lipid products other than n−6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.

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Abbreviations

AA:

arachidonic acid

APE:

atom % excess

GC:

gas chromatography

GLA:

γ-linolenic acid

IRMS:

isotope ratio mass spectrometry

LC:

long chain

NMR:

nuclear magnetic resonance

PUFA:

polyunsaturated fatty acids

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vitamins and Fine Chemicals Division, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland

    G. Moine & R. Muggli

  2. Department of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

    T. N. Corso & J. T. Brenna

  3. Kinderpoliklinik, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

    H. Demmelmair & B. Koletzko

  4. Milupa AG, Friedrichsdorf, Germany

    K. -H. Tovar, G. Kohn & G. Sawatzki

  5. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 150 College St., M5S 3E2, Toronto, Canada

    S. C. Cunnane, S. S. Likhodii & J. Vogt

Authors
  1. S. C. Cunnane
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  2. G. Moine
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  3. S. S. Likhodii
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  4. J. Vogt
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  5. T. N. Corso
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  6. J. T. Brenna
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  7. H. Demmelmair
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  8. B. Koletzko
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  9. K. -H. Tovar
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  10. G. Kohn
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  11. G. Sawatzki
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  12. R. Muggli
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Cunnane, S.C., Moine, G., Likhodii, S.S. et al. [3-13C] γ-linolenic acid: A new probe for 13C nuclear magnetic resonance studies of arachidonic acid synthesis in the suckling rat. Lipids 32, 211–217 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-997-0027-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-997-0027-y

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