title: Retailoring docosahexaenoic acid-containing phospholipid species during impaired neurogenesis following omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid deprivation.
abstract: Diminished levels of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3), the major fatty acid (FA) synthesized from alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3), have been implicated in functional impairment in the developing and adult brain. We have now examined the changes in phospholipid (PL) molecular species in the developing postnatal cortex, a region recently shown to be affected by a robust aberration in neuronal cell migration, after maternal diet alpha-linolenic acid deprivation (Yavin et al. (2009)Neuroscience162(4),1011). The frontal cortex PL composition of 1- to 4-week-old rats was analyzed by gas chromatography and electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectrometry. Changes in the cortical PL molecular species profile by dietary means appear very specific as 22:6n-3 was exclusively substituted by docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-6). However, molecular species were conserved with respect to the combination of specific polar head groups (i.e. ethanolamine and serine) in sn-3 and defined saturated/mono-unsaturated FA in sn-1 position even when the sn-2 FA moiety underwent diet-induced changes. Our results suggest that substitution of docosahexaenoic acid by docosapentaenoic acid is tightly regulated presumably to maintain a proper biophysical characteristic of membrane PL molecular species. The importance of this conservation may underscore the possible biochemical consequences of this substitution in regulating certain functions in the developing brain.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, London Metropolitan University, London, UK.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Ephraim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yavin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D010743:Phospholipids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids