Changed cellular membrane lipid composition and lipid peroxidation of kidney in rats with chronic fluorosis

An animal model of chronic fluorosis was produced by subjecting Wistar rats to high doses of fluoride in drinking water for a prolonged period. Phosph olipid and neutral lipid contents in rat kidney were then analyzed by high- performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and fatty acid compositions from individual phospholipids were measured by gas chromatography. Lipid peroxid ation was detected by the thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substance assay. Res ults showed that the total phospholipid content significantly decreased in the kidney of the rats treated with high doses of fluoride and the main spe cies influenced were phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). Decreased proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids were observed in PE and PC in kidney of fluoride-treated animals compared to controls. No c hanges could be detected in the amounts of cholesterol and dolichol in kidn eys between the rats treated with fluoride and controls. A significant decr ease of ubiquinone in rat kidney was observed in the groups treated with ex cessive fluoride. High levels of lipid peroxidation were detected in kidney of the rats with fluorosis. It is plausible that the specific modification of lipid composition results from lipid peroxidation. The oxidative stress and modification of cellular membrane lipids may be involved in the pathog enesis of chronic fluorosis and provide a possible explanation for the gros s system damage observed in the body, especially in soft tissues and organs .