title: Methylmercury Increases and Eicosapentaenoic Acid Decreases the Relative Amounts of Arachidonic Acid-Containing Phospholipids in Mouse Brain.
abstract: The membrane phospholipid composition in mammalian brain can be modified either by nutrients such as dietary fatty acids, or by certain toxic substances such as methylmercury (MeHg), leading to various biological and toxic effects. The present study evaluated the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and MeHg on the composition of the two most abundant membrane phospholipid classes, i.e., phosphatidylcholines (PtdCho) and phosphatidylethanolamines (PtdEtn), in mouse brain by using a two-level factorial design. The intact membrane PtdCho and PtdEtn species were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The effects of EPA and MeHg on the PtdCho and PtdEtn composition were evaluated by principal component analysis and ANOVA. The results showed that EPA and MeHg had different effects on the composition of membrane PtdCho and PtdEtn species in brain, where EPA showed strongest impact. EPA led to large reductions in the levels of arachidonic acid (ARA)-containing PtdCho and PtdEtn species in brain, while MeHg tended to elevate the levels of ARA-containing PtdCho and PtdEtn species. EPA also significantly increased the levels of PtdCho and PtdEtn species with n-3 fatty acids. Our results indicate that EPA may to some degree counteract the alterations of the PtdCho and PtdEtn pattern induced by MeHg, and thus alleviate the MeHg neurotoxicity in mouse brain through the inhibition of ARA-derived pro-inflammatory factors. These results may assist in the understanding of the interaction between MeHg, EPA and phospholipids, as well as the risk and benefits of a fish diet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Ying-Xu
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China. zydu@bio.ecnu.edu.cn.|National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES), PO Box 2029, Nordnes, 5817, Bergen, Norway. zydu@bio.ecnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, 5020, Bergen, Norway. svein.mjos@kj.uib.no.
authors.forename: Svein Are
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mjøs
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grung
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES), PO Box 2029, Nordnes, 5817, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Lisa K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Midtbø
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D010743:Phospholipids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid
keywords: Arachidonic acid; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry; Methylmercury; Mouse brain; Neurotoxicity; Phosphatidylcholines; Phosphatidylethanolamines