NMR spectroscopic analysis of rat brain development: in vitro proton and carbon studies of whole tissue and its phospholipid fraction.
The developmental patterns of the rat brain at several postnatal time points were investigated in Folch (chloroform-methanol) extracts. The chloroform- (lipid-containing) and water-soluble (cytosolic) fractions of whole-tissue extracts and the phospholipid fraction separated from the organic fraction by chromatography were analysed by means of high-resolution (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Analysis of the cytosolic fraction showed the changing patterns of several brain metabolites during postnatal maturation, in full agreement with data obtained from perchloric acid extracts. (1)H NMR spectroscopy of the phospholipid fraction allowed for quantitative evaluation of fatty acid acyl chain length, mean unsaturation and mean polyunsaturation. It was found that both mean unsaturation and polyunsaturation are lower in adult brain phospholipids than during the first 3 postnatal weeks. (13)C NMR spectroscopy of the same fraction showed that the molar percentage of C(18) fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, linolenic) in brain phospholipids is similar at all the investigated time points. These results indicate that the combination of Folch extraction with simple chromatographic procedures and NMR analysis yields useful data to define the chemical maturation of the brain.
Zancanaro
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Magnetic Resonance Laboratory, DSMB, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Verona, Italy. carloz@borgoroma.univr.it
Bolner
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Righetti
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C
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D010472:Perchlorates; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis*; D011522:Protons; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010472:Perchlorates; D010743:Phospholipids; D011522:Protons