Hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase and trans-2,3-enoyl-CoA reductase activities areconsistent with long-chain fatty acid accumulation during rat brain development

The developmental changes of microsomal 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase and tra ns-2,3-enoyl-CoA reductase activities were analyzed and compared to very-lo ng-chain fatty acid content and biosynthesis in rat brain. Contrary to the elongation rate of eicosanoyl-CoA and 3-hydroxyeicosanoyl-CoA, which parall eled myelination during brain maturation, the two partial activities of fat ty acid elongation were already present at the earliest stages of developme nt. One day after birth, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase and trans-2,3-enoyl-Co A reductase specific activities already represented 54.8% and 49.6% of the adult values, respectively. As a contribution to the quantitative estimatio n of the brain's ability to form its own VLCFA, it is shown that dehydrase and reductase activities are sufficient to allow the biosynthesis of all ra t brain VLCFA at any age, (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Lt d. All rights reserved.