title: Effects of unsaturated fatty acids on the peroxisomal enzyme activities of Tetrahymena pyriformis.
abstract: The effects of unsaturated fatty acids on the activities of peroxisomal enzymes of Tetrahymena pyriformis were investigated. When saturated fatty acids and the corresponding unsaturated fatty acids (C18) were added to the culture medium at 0.05%, the activities of peroxisomal enzymes [fatty acyl-CoA oxidase (FAO), carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT), isocitrate lyase (ICL), and malate synthase (MS)] were significantly increased. The order of effectiveness was linoleic acid greater than oleic acid greater than stearic acid. However, alpha-linolenic acid and gamma-linolenic acid at the same concentration were lethal to the cells. The inhibitory effect on growth disappeared upon addition of an antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol. Lipid peroxides derived from unsaturated fatty acids induced marked cell lysis. In the presence of a low concentration (0.005%) of linolenic acid the production of lipid peroxide was lower and no inhibitory effect on the growth was observed, while the activities of peroxisomal enzymes participating in lipid metabolism and that of catalase were significantly increased. These results indicate that the peroxisomal enzyme systems related to the beta-oxidations of fatty acids and the glyoxylate cycle are regulated by unsaturated long-chain fatty acids, including linolenic acid, at low concentrations, as well as by saturated fatty acid in the medium.
mesh_terms: D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase; D000818:Animals; D002332:Carnitine O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007522:Isocitrate Lyase / Q000378:metabolism; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D008042:Linolenic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D008292:Malate Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D008830:Microbodies / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D019301:Oleic Acid; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D013769:Tetrahymena pyriformis / Q000201:enzymology*; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D008042:Linolenic Acids; D009829:Oleic Acids; D013229:Stearic Acids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D019301:Oleic Acid; C031183:stearic acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D042962:Acyl-CoA Oxidase; D002332:Carnitine O-Acetyltransferase; D008292:Malate Synthase; D007522:Isocitrate Lyase