title: Mineralocorticoids modify rat liver delta 6 desaturase activity and other parameters of lipid metabolism.
abstract: The changes in linoleyl-CoA desaturase activity of rat liver microsomes were studied after a single intraperitoneal injection of 11-deoxycorticosterone or aldosterone at physiological doses. Fatty acid of plasma and different liver fractions, and physical properties of microsomal membranes were also investigated. It was found that the specific activity of delta 6 desaturase decreased 4-fold 24 hr after the injection of aldosterone or deoxycorticosterone. Pretreatment of the rats with aldosterone led to a significant decrease in the percent distribution of palmitic, arachidonic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexenoic acids, with a concomitant increase in palmitoleic, oleic and linoleic acids in plasma and liver homogenates, microsomes and cytosol fractions. A similar pattern was observed after deoxycorticosterone administration. The changes resulted in a decreased unsaturation index of all fractions studied and were well-correlated with the increase observed in fluorescence depolarization of the hydrophobic probe 1,6-diphenylhexatriene in liver microsomal membranes. The interlipid and lipid/protein ratios in microsomes remained constant after hormonal treatment. These results are consistent with the idea that the inhibition of delta 6 desaturase activity and the alterations in fatty acid composition induced by mineralocorticoids, are solely responsible for the measured decrease in liver microsomal membrane fluidity.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Argentina.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: de Alaniz
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D008042:Linolenic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid
chemical_list: D008041:Linoleic Acids; D008042:Linolenic Acids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone; D000450:Aldosterone; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase