Regional differences of the mouse brain in response to an α-linolenic acid-restricted diet: Neurotrophin content and protein kinase activity.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine a relatively short-term effect of feeding an α-linolenic acid (ALA, n-3)-restricted, linoleic acid (LA, n-6)-adequate diet on neurotrophin contents and protein kinase activities in brain regions of the mouse.


METHODS
After feeding mice a safflower oil (SAF) diet (ALA-restricted, LA-adequate) or perilla oil (PER) diet (containing adequate amounts of ALA and LA) for 4 weeks from weaning, the fatty acid compositions of brain regions were analyzed by capillary column gas-liquid chromatography, nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) contents were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
The striatum and hippocampus, but not the cerebral cortex, from the SAF group, contained a smaller amount of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) than those from the PER group. The NGF contents in these brain regions were not different between the two dietary groups. However, the striatal BDNF content of the SAF group was significantly lower than that of the PER group. Protein kinase A, protein kinase C, and p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p44/42 MAPK) activities in brain regions showed no significant difference between the two dietary groups. However, the striatal p38 MAPK activity was significantly lower in the SAF group than in the PER group. No such differences were observed in the hippocampus or the cerebral cortex.


CONCLUSIONS
A relatively short-term feeding of an α-linolenic acid-restricted, linoleic acid-adequate diet was found to lower the DHA content, BDNF content and p38 MAPK activity in the mouse striatum.
Miyazawa
Daisuke
D
Kinjo Gakuin University College of Pharmacy, Open Research Center for Lipid Nutrition, Moriyamaku, Nagoya 463-8521, Japan. miyazawa@kinjo-u.ac.jp
Yasui
Yuko
Y
Yamada
Kazuyo
K
Ohara
Naoki
N
Okuyama
Harumi
H
D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D011494:Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases