title: Decreased docosahexaenoic acid levels in retina and pigment epithelium of frogs fed crickets.
abstract: Whole retina, rod outer segments, and retinal pigment epithelium of frogs (Rana pipiens) fed crickets for more than 1 year had significantly lower levels of docosahexaenoic acid (22: 6n-3) than the same tissues of frogs fed crickets for less than 1 month. Decreases in 22:6n-3 levels in these tissues were compensated for by increases in the n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), primarily 22:5n-6. There were no changes in the levels of saturated, monoenoic, or dienoic acids. Analysis of diacyl phospholipid molecular species (PLMS) revealed decreases in both the 22:6(n-3)-containing dipolyenoic molecular species in phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine, and the monopolyenoic molecular species in phosphatidylcholine. These PLMS were replaced by species containing 22:5n-6 or other n-6 PUFAs. Examination of fatty acid methyl esters of total lipids extracted from crickets revealed that less than 1 mol% fatty acids were of the n-3 family, while more than 30 mol% were of the n-6 family. Thus, frogs raised on an n-3-deficient diet have reduced levels of n-3 PUFA in their retinas, rod outer segments, and retinal pigment epithelium. Although such changes have been reported for mammals, this is the first report of the effects of n-3 deficiency on the lipids of amphibians.
authors.affiliation: Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Wiegand
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D006135:Gryllidae; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000378:metabolism*; D011894:Rana pipiens; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D012374:Rod Cell Outer Segment / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D010743:Phospholipids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids