EFFECT OF PROPYLTHIOURACIL-INDUCED HYPOTHYROIDISM ON MEMBRANES OF ADULT-RAT BRAIN

Citation
S. Salvati et al., EFFECT OF PROPYLTHIOURACIL-INDUCED HYPOTHYROIDISM ON MEMBRANES OF ADULT-RAT BRAIN, Lipids, 28(12), 1993, pp. 1075-1078
Citations number
30
Categorie Soggetti
Biology
Journal title
LipidsACNP
ISSN journal
00244201
Volume
28
Issue
12
Year of publication
1993
Pages
1075 - 1078
Database
ISI
SICI code
0024-4201(1993)28:12<1075:EOPHOM>2.0.ZU;2-J
Abstract
The effect of hypothyroidism on the lipid composition of myelin and sy naptosomes isolated from adult rat brain was investigated. The animals were made hypothyroid by adding 0.05% propyl-2-thiouracil to their dr inking water for four weeks. This pathological state resulted in a sig nificant increase in the relative percentage of choline glycerophospho lipids in synaptosomes with a concomitant decrease in ethanolamine gly cerophospholipids as compared to controls. In myelin, hypothyroidism s ignificantly influenced only the relative percentage of sulfatides. Th e effect of the hypothyroid state on mature brain was also reflected i n changes in the membrane fatty acid composition. Myelin and synaptoso mes showed an increase in arachidonic (20:4) and eicosatrienoic (20:3) acids and an increase in the fatty acid unsaturation index. Furthermo re, the 20:4/20:3 and 20:3/18:2 ratios were lower and higher respectiv ely, in treated animals. The data indicate that hypothyroidism affects the lipid composition of synaptosomes and myelin even though the effe cts were less pronounced in myelin. The lipid changes observed in hypo thyroidism may be of physiological significance, as it is well known t hat lipid composition modulates various membrane bound enzymes, transp orters and receptors.