Sm. Abdelhakim et al., PROSTAGLANDIN E(2) PRODUCTION IN SUBMANDIBULAR SALIVARY-GLANDS OF RATS IN ESSENTIAL FATTY-ACID DEFICIENCY, Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids, 50(3), 1994, pp. 141-145
Three groups of rats were fed an essential fatty acid (EFA)-deficient
diet (EFAD), marginally EFA-deficient diet (MEFAD) or a control diet.
Arachidonic acid levels in total phospholipids and the ex-vivo product
ion of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) in the presence of calcium ionophor
e were measured at 5 and 9 weeks in the submandibular salivary glands
(SMSG). The arachidonic acid levels were significantly different among
the 3 groups of rats fed the respective diets for 9 weeks. Ex-vivo PG
E(2) production was significantly decreased in the EFAD group but not
in the MEFAD group as compared to the control group. The changes in fa
tty acid composition, arachidonic acid levels and ex-vivo production o
f PGE(2) were reversed after 5 weeks of feeding the control diet to th
e EFAD or the MEFAD rats. Since arachidonic acid and PGE(2) are involv
ed in signal transduction pathways in the SMSG, an EFA deficiency is l
ikely to modify these pathways.