title: Alterations in lipid composition and fluidity of liver plasma membranes in copper-deficient rats.
abstract: In view of the importance of membrane fluidity on cell functions, the influence of phospholipid acyl groups on membrane fluidity, and the changes in lipid metabolism induced by copper (Cu) deficiency, this study was designed to examine the influence of dietary Cu on the lipid composition and fluidity of liver plasma membranes. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two dietary treatments, namely Cu deficient and Cu adequate. After 8 weeks of treatment, liver plasma membranes were isolated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The lipid fluidity of plasma membranes, as assessed by the intramolecular eximer fluorescence of 1,3-di(1-pyrenyl) propane, was significantly depressed by Cu deficiency. In addition, Cu deficiency significantly reduced the content of arachidonic and palmitoleic acids but increased the docosatetraenoic and docosahexaenoic acids of membrane phospholipids. This alteration in unsaturated phospholipid fatty acid composition, especially the large reduction in arachidonic acid, may have contributed to the depressed membrane fluidity. Furthermore, Cu deficiency also markedly altered the fatty acid composition of the triacylglycerols associated with the plasma membranes. Thus, the lipid composition and fluidity of liver plasma membranes are responsive to the animal's Cu status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721.
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosenstein
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hassel
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D003300:Copper / Q000172:deficiency*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D011721:Pyrenes; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D011721:Pyrenes; D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; C035116:1,3-di-(1-pyrenyl)propane; D003300:Copper; D002784:Cholesterol