Chronic administration of aluminium L-glutamate in young mature rats: effects on iron levels and lipid peroxidation in selected brain areas

Clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated the neurotoxicity of al uminium (Al), notably as a result of lipid peroxidation in vitro. We previo usly showed that Al is able to cross the blood-brain barrier as an L-glutam ate complex and be deposited in rat brain, The present work in young mature rats investigated the in vivo effects of chronic Al-L-glutamate treatment on Al and iron movement in plasma and selected brain regions. Brain lipid p eroxidation was determined by evaluating the production of thiobarbituric a cid reactive substances (TEARS) and analysing polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFAs) such as C20:4n-6 and C22:6n-3. Our results indicate that iron concen tration was decreased in plasma and that Al accumulated especially in stria tum where iron levels were decreased and in the hippocampus where TEARS wer e increased without PUFA modifications. These data show that Al administere d chronically as an L-glutamate complex is neurotoxic in vivo and thus prov ides a good model for studying Al toxic mechanisms. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scien ce Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.