title: Changes in fatty acid composition of myelin cerebrosides after treatment of the developing rat with methylmercury chloride and diethylmercury.
abstract: Suckling rats were exposed to methylmercury chloride or diethylmercury in order to induce chronic sublethal intoxication during the period of active myelination. Doses of 5 mg Hg/kg body weight were injected every second day from 5-25 days of age. The rats were killed at 27-28 days of age, and the brains contained about 1 microgram Hg/g wet weight. No changes in brain weight, myelin content of proteins or phospholipids were found, whereas the cholesterol and galactolipid levels were slightly reduced. The most significant change observed was a decrease in the ratio between alpha-hydroxy fatty acid and the nonsubstituted fatty acid in the myelin cerebrosides. The biochemical changes were less pronounced in the animals given diethylmercury than in animals receiving methylmercury.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002554:Cerebrosides / Q000378:metabolism*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005035:Ethylmercury Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002554:Cerebrosides; D005035:Ethylmercury Compounds; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; C007378:diethylmercury; D008628:Mercury