title: Effect of docosahexaenoic acid on brain 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase activity in male ICR mice.
abstract: We investigated the influence of docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester (DHA-EE) on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity in the brains of adult and aged mice. Male mice (Crlj:CD-1) were fed diets containing 3% lard plus 2% linoleic acid ethyl ester (LA-EE), or 2% DHA-EE, for 3 months. The brain HMG-CoA reductase activity of 8-month-old (adult) mice was not significantly influenced by dietary intake of DHA-EE. However, in 18-month-old (aged) mice, its activity was enhanced with dietary intake of DHA-EE. Brain HMG-CoA reductase activity and brain cholesterol content significantly increased with age. Hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity and the cholesterol content of both adult and aged mice were reduced in DHA-EE diet groups, compared with LA-EE diet groups. The DHA percentages of brain and liver microsomal fractions increased with the intake of DHA-EE in adult and aged mice. These results suggest that DHA may enhance brain HMG-CoA reductase activity in aged mice.
authors.affiliation: National Food Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8642, Japan. nshinya@affrc.go.jp <nshinya@affrc.go.jp>
authors.forename: Nobuya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: Hiramitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008861:Microsomes / Q000201:enzymology; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases