title: A low degree of fatty acid unsaturation leads to high resistance to lipid peroxidation in mitochondria and microsomes of different organs of quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).
abstract: Birds -- particularly long-lived species -- have special adaptations for preventing tissue damage caused by reactive oxygen species. The objective of the present study was to analyse the fatty acid composition and non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation of mitochondria and microsomes obtained from liver, heart and brain of quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), a short-lived bird. Fatty acids located in total lipids of rat liver, heart and brain mitochondria and microsomes were determined using gas chromatography and lipid peroxidation was evaluated using a chemiluminescence assay. The unsaturated fatty acid content found in mitochondria and microsomes of all tissue examined was approximately 50 and 40%, respectively with a prevalence of C18:1 n9. The C18:2 n6 content in brain mitochondria was significantly lower as compared to liver and heart mitochondria. Whereas the C20:4 n6 content in mitochondria from all tissues examined and brain microsomes was approximately 6%, liver and heart microsomes exhibited lower values. C22:6 n3 was absent in liver mitochondria, very low content in liver microsomes and heart organelles (between 0.5 and 1%) and high content in brain organelles, with mitochondria having the highest value (11%). Whereas liver and heart organelles were not affected when subjected to lipid peroxidation, brain mitochondria were highly affected, as indicated by the increase in chemiluminescence and a considerable decrease of C20:4 n6 and C22:6 n3. These results indicate that a low degree of fatty acid unsaturation in liver and heart organelles of quail, a short-lived bird, may confer advantage by decreasing their sensitivity to lipid peroxidation process.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Guillermo Raúl
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Reboredo
authors.forename: Susana María
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mosca
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catalá
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003370:Coturnix / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D008861:Microsomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D008929:Mitochondria, Heart / Q000378:metabolism; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated