Dietary docosahexaenoic acid improves red blood cell deformability in rats.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C Leray.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The involvement of lipids under starvation conditions in the shift from the phase of protein sparing (phase II) to the phase of increased protein breakdown (phase III) has been investigated. Plasma and liver were sampled from fed and unfed rats at two distinct stages which were characterized according to the changes in specific loss in daily body mass and nitrogen excretion. In the two groups of food-deprived rats corresponding to phases II and III, the liver concentration of triglycerides (micromol/g) was significantly lower, that of cholesterol significantly higher and that of the other lipid classes was moderately affected compared with concentrations in fed rats. Hepatic phospholipids had significantly higher concentrations (mol/100 mol) of 22:6(n-3) in food-deprived rats than in fed rats. Triglycerides had significantly higher concentrations of stearic and arachidonic acids in livers of both groups of food-deprived rats compared with fed rats. The total activity of carnitine palmitoyl transferase [mmol/(min x liver)] was 48% higher in rats studied at the end of phase II than in fed rats but was similar in fed rats and in rats studied at the beginning of phase III. The total activity of fatty acyl-CoA oxidase was 73% lower only in rats studied at the beginning of phase III when compared with fed rats. Our results indicate that during food deprivation the change in the rate of protein utilization is associated with important qualitative and quantitative alterations of hepatic lipids and oxidative capacity of fatty acids. These modifications appear to be related to the change from a preferential use of lipids to a preferential utilization of proteins.
Fatty acids have been shown to be selectively mobilized from rat white fat-cells, whatever the dietary manipulations. For convenience, fatty acids have been classified as being highly, weakly and moderately mobilizable. The aim of this study was to examine whether the selective mobilization of fatty acids can be explained, even partly, by their positional distribution in adipose-tissue triacylglycerols (TAG) via the known specificity of hormone-sensitive lipase for the sn-1 and sn-3 positions. Adipose tissue was dietarily manipulated in order to obtain a wide spectrum of fatty acids, including large amounts of either very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFA) or very-long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids (VLC-MUFA). The determination of fatty acid distribution in adipose tissue TAG was based on random formation of 1,2-diacyl-rac-glycerols by Grignard degradation, followed by synthesis of phosphatidic acids and hydrolysis in the sn-2 position by phospholipase A2. Regardless of the fatty acid composition and location of fat depots, highly (e.g. 18:4n-3 and some of the VLC-PUFA) and weakly (e.g. VLC-MUFA) mobilizable fatty acids were located mainly in the outer (sn-1 and sn-3) positions of the glycerol moiety (79.5% and 92.5% on average, respectively). Other fatty acids, which are rather moderately mobilizable, were more randomly distributed. We conclude that the selective mobilization of white-fat-cell fatty acids is not based on their positional distribution in TAG.
1,2-Diacyl-sn-glycerol (DAG) is a product of cell activation that has emerged as an important intracellular messenger whose primary function appears to be the activation of protein kinase C. They originate by the activation of phospholipases, which hydrolyze different phospholipids depending on the external stimulus and the nature of the cells, leading to the production of different molecular species. In the present study the quantitative changes in the total mass and the molecular species of DAG formed on phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate) stimulation were investigated in proliferating and retinoic acid (RA)-differentiated human LA-N-1 cells. The TPA treatment of both cell types elicited an increase in the total amount of DAG. The increase was biphasic; i.e., an initial peak at 2-5 min was followed by a sustained increase that persisted for > 30 min. The analysis of the molecular species of DAG and phospholipids showed that in proliferating LA-N-1 cells, the DAG increase corresponds to the production of mainly saturated/monounsaturated (16:0-18:1, 18:0-18:1) and saturated/saturated (16:0-16:0, 16:0-18:0) species, suggesting that they originate essentially from the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine. In contrast, RA-differentiated cells responded to TPA treatment by increasing the level of saturated/polyunsaturated (16:1-22:6, 18:0-22:6, 16:0-20:4, 18:0-20:4) and monounsaturated/monounsaturated (18:1-18:1) species, suggesting mainly a phosphatidylethanolamine origin. These findings indicate that the treatment of LA-N-1 cells with TPA generates different molecular species of DAG depending on their physiological state. These observations suggest in turn that different phospholipases are activated by TPA in proliferating and RA-differentiated cells.
In order to study the influence of the phospholipid/triacylglycerol (PL/TG) ratio of parenteral emulsions on the distribution and the physico-chemical properties of their fat particles, commercial 10, 20 or 30% fat formulas were fractionated by centrifugation into an upper lipid cake (resuspended in aqueous glycerol) and a subnatant or mesophase, from which a PL-rich subfraction (d = 1.010-1.030 g/l) was purified by density gradient ultracentrifugation. Chemical and 31P-NMR analyses of these fractions indicated that at least two types of fat particles coexist in parenteral emulsions: (i) TG-rich particles (mean diameter: 330, 400, 470 nm in the 10, 20, 30% emulsion) which contain practically all the TG and esterified phytosterols of native emulsions, but only a fraction of their PL, unesterified cholesterol and phytosterols, and other minor lipids; (ii) PL-bilayer particles or liposomes (mean diameter: 80-100 nm) which are constituted with the remaining PL and relatively very small amounts of TG and other lipids. The higher the oil content of the emulsion, the lower the amount of these PL-rich particles, which represent the major particle population of the mesophase. Indeed, minute amounts of TG-rich particles (probably the smallest ones) are also present in the mesophase, even in the PL-rich subfraction which contains the bulk of liposomal PL. Since the PL-rich particles of the infused emulsion generate lipoprotein X-like particles, only the large TG-rich particles can be considered as true chylomicron counterparts.
This study examines the incorporation of highly unsaturated n-3 fatty acids (HUFA) into triacylglycerols (TAG) of brown adipose tissue (BAT), and their effect on the positional distribution of saturated (SFA) and of unsaturated (UFA) 16- or 18-carbon fatty acids. To this end, rats were fed a fish oil diet for up to four weeks. The stereospecific analysis of TAG was based on generation of sn-1,2- and sn-2,3-acylglycerols by Grignard degradation, followed by synthesis of phosphatidic acid and specific hydrolysis with phospholipase A2. From the end of the first week of fish oil feeding, a steady-state in the fatty acid composition of TAG in BAT was reached. HUFA concentration increased 30-fold, mainly at the expense of n-9 UFA and of SFA. The amount of SFA decreased selectively at position 3, where these fatty acids were progressively replaced by n-3 HUFA. By contrast, the amount of UFA decreased at all positions, and their positional distribution was not affected. About 60% of HUFA was incorporated at position 3. Nearly twice as much 22:6n-3 was incorporated into TAG than had been previously observed in white adipose tissue (WAT) [Leray, C., Raclot, T., and Groscolas, R. (1993) Lipids 28, 279-284]. At the steady-state, the distribution of HUFA was characterized by high proportions of 22:6n-3 and 20:5n-3 in position 3. Moreover, in each position of TAG, a steady level was reached rapidly (within 1 wk).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The composition of the molecular species of various phospholipid subclasses was examined in myelin isolated from brain of 15-, 21- and 90-day-old rats. The molecular species of diacylglycerophosphocholine (PtdCho), diacylglycerophosphoethanolamine (PtdEtn) and plasmenyl-ethanolamine (PlsEtn) were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after phospholipase C treatment and dinitrobenzoyl derivatization. In rat brain myelin, each phospholipid subclass showed a specific pattern of molecular species that changed during development. PtdCho contained large amounts of saturated/monounsaturated and disaturated species and low amounts of saturated/polyunsaturated species. During brain development, the levels of saturated/monounsaturated molecular species increased whereas those of the disaturated and saturated/polyunsaturated species decreased. PtdEtn were characterized by their low levels of disaturated species and a high content of saturated/monounsaturated and saturated/polyunsaturated species, of which those containing fatty acids of the n-3 series decreased, whereas those containing fatty acids of the n-6 series did not change during brain development. The levels of saturated/monounsaturated species increased in PtdEtn. No disaturated molecular species could be detected in PlsEtn. This alkenylacyl subclass contained large amounts of saturated/polyunsaturated, saturated/monounsaturated and dimonounsaturated molecular species. During development, the levels of saturated/polyunsaturated molecular species decreased while those of the two others increased. The data indicated that myelin sheaths undergo phospholipid changes during brain development and maturation.
To shed light on the question whether the phospholipids present in chromatin are native or are due to contamination from nuclear membranes, we labeled the phospholipids of isolated nuclei and determined the amount of phospholipids (PL) and PL fatty acid composition in nuclei and chromatin. The hepatocyte nuclei were isolated and radioiodinated by the lactoperoxidase method under saturating and nonsaturating conditions, and the radioactivity associated with chromatin extracted from these nuclei was monitored. Whereas 97% the label was recovered in the nuclear membranes, only 0.08-0.6% was found in chromatin. The PL present in chromatin were relative to the amounts present in the entire nuclei and calculated as percentage of total, phosphatidylethanolamine (10%), phosphatidylserine (22%), phosphatidylinositol (19%) phosphatidylcholine (14%), and sphingomyelin (35%). In sphingomyelin of chromatin-associated PL an enrichment in polyunsaturated fatty acids was seen. The data indicated that the PL found in isolated chromatin do not seem to be due to contamination from the nuclear membrane.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The present study was designed to investigate the metabolism of the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in adipose tissue and its dependence upon dietary factors. Changes in the positional distribution of the fatty acids in triacylglycerols from retroperitoneal adipose tissue were studied as a function of time on rats fed for 4 wk a diet enriched with fish oil. The stereospecific analysis of triacylglycerols by Grignard degradation. This was followed by synthesis of rac-phosphatidic acids and treatment with phospholipase A2. In the triacylglycerols of the fish oil diet, 57% of the total n-3 fatty acids were in position 3, i.e., two-thirds of 20:5n-3 and 22:5n-3 were esterified in sn-3 position, whereas 22:6n-3 was equally distributed in positions 2 and 3. After 4 wk of feeding fish oil, the fatty acid composition of adipose tissue triacylglycerols reached a steady state. Half of the n-3 fatty acids were found in position 3, namely 75% of 22:5n-3, 50% of 20:5n-3 and 18:4n-3 and 45% of 22:6n-3, the latter being equally distributed in positions 2 and 3. This pattern of distribution resembled that found in triacylglycerols of the fish oil diet, except for a higher proportion of 20:5n-3 in adipose tissue in position 1 at the expense of position 3. Throughout the 4-wk period of fish oil feeding, the distribution pattern of minor n-3 fatty acids (18:4n-3 and 22:5n-3) in adipose tissue triacylglycerols remained unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Incubation of spontaneous transformed cells derived from astrocyte primary cultures with 30 microM 7 beta-hydroxycholesterol (7 beta-OH-CH) which is lethal to the cells or with 150 microM isoproterenol reduces the intracellular level of cAMP (4- and 2-fold respectively). Treatment of the cultures with 0.5 mM dibutyryl (db)-cAMP and 7 beta-OH-CH increases 3-fold the intracellular level of cAMP and both, db-cAMP and isoproterenol, raise the lethal effect of 7 beta-OH-CH and its esterification on C-3-OH by naturally occurring fatty acids (metabolite). Kinetic studies of net steryl-3-esters hydrolysis revealed that db-cAMP and isoproterenol lower that of cholesteryl-3-esters (2-fold) whereas the opposite is found for the metabolite. These data demonstrate that (i) high cAMP intracellular levels modulate differently the net hydrolysis of cholesteryl-3-esters and metabolite, (ii) isoproterenol acts otherwise than cAMP on 7 beta-OH-CH esterification, (iii) the cytotoxicity of 7 beta-OH-CH is linked to its own esterification. The accumulation of metabolite subsequent to db-cAMP or isoproterenol treatment as a result of acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyl transferase activation is discussed.
The correlation between the lethal effect of 7 beta-hydroxycholesterol (7 beta-OH-CH) on spontaneously transformed cell lines derived from rat astrocyte primary cultures (normal cells) and de novo cholesterogenesis was investigated. Both 7 beta-OH-CH and 7-keto-CH were not cytotoxic on normal cells but 7 beta-OH-CH affected markedly the viability of the transformed cells. The use of [14C]acetate or [14C]mevalonate indicated that 7-keto-CH inhibits de novo cholesterogenesis upstream of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGR) in both cell types whereas 7 beta-OH-CH also inhibits downstream of HMGR. The accumulation of two radiolabelled products X1 and X2 between mevalonate and CH was found in unsaponifiable neutral lipids extracted from 7 beta-OH-CH treated transformed cells. HPLC and GC-MS revealed that X1 and X2 are not lanosterol and 24,25-epoxylanosterol, respectively. Incubation of the transformed cells with X1 and X2 did not affect their viability. Our data demonstrate that, under our experimental conditions, 7 beta-OH-CH cytotoxicity is not linked to the inhibition of de novo cholesterogenesis in cultured glial transformed cells.
A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the separation and determination of diacylglycerophospholipid and diacylglycerol (DAG) molecular species has been developed. Phospholipids are hydrolysed with phospholipase C and the resulting DAGs are reacted with naproxen chloride in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine. The naproxen-DAGs were purified by thin-layer chromatography on silica gel G plates. Molecular species were separated using reversed-phase HPLC with isocratic elution and determined by measuring the absorbance at 230 nm or fluorescence at 352 nm (excitation at 332 nm). The method was applied to the determination of diacylglycerophosphoethanolamine in rat cerebrum and cerebellum. The molar absorption coefficient of the naproxen derivatives was 53,000 lmol-1 cm-1 at 230 nm, permitting the generation of linear concentration-dependent determinations down to less than 10 pmol. A ten-fold increase in sensitivity was obtained with a fluorescence detection system owing to the fluorescent properties of the proposed adduct.
The transbilayer fatty acid distribution of diacylglycerophosphoethanolamine and the translocation of newly synthesized phosphatidylethanolamine molecules labelled with different fatty acids has been investigated in chick brain microsomes using trinitrobenzensulfonic acid. The determination of the fatty acid composition of diacylglycerophosphoethanolamine in both the outer and the inner leaflet of the microsomal vesicles revealed a similar distribution indicating that both leaflets share the same molecular species. The in vitro incorporation of radioactive fatty acids (16:0, 18:1 and 20:4(n-6] into ethanolamine phospholipids, known to be catalyzed by the lyosphosphatidylethanolamine acyl transferase, showed that the radioactive diacylglycerophosphoethanolamine molecules appeared first in the outer leaflet and were thereafter transferred to the inner leaflet. The apparent rate of translocation of the newly synthesized ethanolamine phospholipid molecules was the highest for those labelled with 16:0 and the lowest for those labelled with 20:4(n-6). The results indicate that the active site of the acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyltransferases is located on the outer leaflet of the microsomal vesicles and that the different newly synthesized molecular species of diacylglycerophosphoethanolamine may be translocated from the outer to the inner leaflet at different rates.
The molecular species composition of rat cerebellar phospholipid subclasses has been studied by HPLC after phospholipase C treatment and dinitrophenyl derivatization. During rat cerebellum development (3-90 days postpartum), cholinephosphoglycerides and ethanolamine phosphoglycerides represented approximately 80% of all phospholipids, with their relative amount changing after 1 month. Among ethanolamine phosphoglycerides, the molar ratio of diacylglycerophosphoethanolamine (diacylGPE) to alkenylacylGPE decreased from approximately 1.4 at 3 days to approximately 0.5 after 10 days. The phospholipids investigated contained up to 12 different molecular species. The rate of accumulation of the various molecular species of diacylglycerophosphocholine (diacylGPC), diacylGPE, and alkenylacylGPE during cerebellar development allowed a classification into three main groups. The overall increase of the molecular species of the first group (6-diacylGPC, 5-diacylGPE, and 4-alkenylacylGPE) was approximately 18-fold between 3 and 90 days, with a faster rate of accumulation between 3 and 30 days. Those of the second group (3-diacylGPC, 5-diacylGPE, and 5-akenylacylGPE) increased by approximately 45-fold during the same developmental period, at a slow rate before day 15 and a faster one thereafter. The molecular species of the third group (3-alkenylacylGPE) increased by greater than 250-fold between 3 and 90 days, at a very slow rate before day 21 and more quickly thereafter. The different rates of accumulation of the components of the three groups during cerebellar development suggest a preferential location of the first group in membranes of neuronal perikaryons, glial cells, and synaptosomal structures. Those of the second group appear to be located in both synaptosomal membranes and myelin sheets, and those of the third group can be considered as myelin markers.
The lethal effect of 7 beta-hydroxycholesterol (7 beta-OHC) on neonatal rat astrocyte primary cultures and spontaneously transformed cell lines derived from them was investigated. Confluent astrocyte primary cultures were not affected by 30 microM 7 beta-OHC over a period of 72 h. In contrast, spontaneously transformed cells were killed by 20 microM 7 beta-OHC within the first 48 h. Further studies indicated that the cell lines metabolized 7 beta-OHC to a product the polarity of which was less than that of 7 beta-OHC. The metabolite was identified as 7 beta-OHC esterified on C-3 by naturally occurring fatty acids. Incubation of the cell lines with 0.5 microM metabolite markedly affected the cells within 24 h. These observations suggest that the 7 beta-OHC metabolite is implicated in the mechanism of action of 7 beta-OHC cytotoxicity on spontaneously transformed cells.
When exogenous gangliosides are added to the growth medium of neuronal cell cultures they are inserted into their plasma membranes and are afterwards metabolized in the cytoplasmic interior. The action of exogenous gangliosides brings important morphological and biochemical changes to neurons in culture. The present report shows that the treatment with exogenous gangliosides of a primary culture of chick neurons modified the distribution of fatty acids in phosphatidylinositol (PI), mainly that of arachidonic acid and the fatty acids of the (n - 3) series without affecting the other phospholipids. The composition of neutral lipids did not change but their content was increased up to 2-3-fold depending upon the concentration of gangliosides. The change of the growth medium from one containing fetal calf serum to a chemically defined one reduced dramatically the content of free fatty acids while the addition of gangliosides raised this content to normal levels. The increase in the amount of diacylglycerol (DG) confirmed the finding that gangliosides stimulate phosphoinositide degradation. Finally the fatty acid composition of DG suggests indirectly that this compound might be produced also by degradation of phosphatidylcholine and not only of PI.
The transbilayer distribution of choline phospholipids in trout intestinal brush-border membrane has been investigated using phospholipase C (from Clostridium welchii). In the middle intestine, 84% of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and 60% of sphingomyelin (SP) are located in the outer membrane leaflet. In the posterior intestine, 89% of PC and 52% of SP are located in the outer membrane leaflet. The externally located PC molecular species are (n - 3) fatty acid-rich in both parts of the intestine. While the sphingomyelin molecular species containing 24:1(n - 9) are exclusively located in the outer leaflet in the middle intestine, those containing 14:0 are more abundant in the same leaflet but in the posterior intestine. This strongly asymmetric distribution of both choline phospholipids may have numerous consequences on the brush-border membrane characteristics.