title: Effect of simvastatin on desaturase activities in liver from lean and obese Zucker rats.
abstract: The effect of simvastatin, a hypocholesterolemic drug, on the biosynthesis of arachidonic acid was studied in obese and lean Zucker rats. After administration of 2 mg/kg body weight/d for 13 d, delta 6 and delta 5 desaturase activities were measured in liver microsomes at two substrate concentrations. In untreated rats, the delta 6 desaturation rate was similar in the obese and lean rats when measured at saturating substrate levels, whereas delta 5 desaturation was lower in the obese animals. Treatment with simvastatin did not change delta 6 desaturation in either phenotype but increased delta 5 desaturation in obese rats to reach the unchanged rate observed in lean animals. The changes were not reflected in the fatty acid composition of liver microsomal phospholipids when expressed as micrograms fatty acid/g of liver.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherche de Nutrition Cellulaire et Métabolique, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Georges
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Blond
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maniongui
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bézard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000201:enzymology*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D019821:Simvastatin
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010743:Phospholipids; D008148:Lovastatin; D019821:Simvastatin; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase