title: On the protective effect of omega-3 against propionic acid-induced neurotoxicity in rat pups.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The investigation of the environmental contribution for developmental neurotoxicity is very important. Many environmental chemical exposures are now thought to contribute to the development of neurological disorders, especially in children. Results from animal studies may guide investigations of human populations toward identifying environmental contaminants and drugs that produce or protect from neurotoxicity and may help in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the protective effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid on brain intoxication induced by propionic acid (PPA) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  24 young male Western Albino rats were enrolled in the present study. They were grouped into three equal groups; oral buffered PPA-treated group given a nuerotoxic dose of 250 mg/Kg body weight/day for 3 days; omega-3 - protected group given a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight/day omega-3 orally daily for 5 days followed by PPA for 3 days, and a third group as control given only phosphate buffered saline. Tumor necrosis factor-α, caspase-3, interlukin-6, gamma amino-buteric acid (GABA), serotonin, dopamine and phospholipids were then assayed in the rats brain's tissue of different groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The obtained data showed that PPA caused multiple signs of brain toxicity as measured by depletion of gamaaminobyteric acid (GABA), serotonin (5HT) and dopamine (DA) as three important neurotransmitters that reflect brain function. A high significant increase of interlukin-6 (Il-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) as excellent markers of proinflammation and caspase-3 as a proapotic marker were remarkably elevated in the intoxicated group of rats. Moreover, brain phospholipid profile was impaired in PPA-treated young rats recording lower levels of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylcholine (PC).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Omega-3 fatty acids showed a protective effects on PPA - induced changes in rats as there was a remarkable amelioration of most of the measured parameters (i.e. higher GABA, 5HT, DA, PE, PS and PC) and lower Il-6, TNF-α and caspase-3.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Science College, King Saud University, P,O box 22452, zip code 11495, Riydh, Saudi Arabia. elansary@ksu.edu.sa
authors.forename: Afaf K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: El-Ansary
authors.forename: Sooad K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Al-Daihan
authors.forename: Amina R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: El-Gezeery
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D011422:Propionates; D012372:ROC Curve; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010743:Phospholipids; D011422:Propionates; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D012701:Serotonin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; C029658:propionic acid; D004298:Dopamine