INCREASE IN LEVELS OF TOTAL FREE FATTY-ACIDS IN RAT-BRAIN REGIONS FOLLOWING 3-NITROPROPIONIC ACID ADMINISTRATION

Acute exposure to a neurotoxin, 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA), in rats results in an increase in total free fatty acid (FFA) concentration i n selective brain regions. We investigated the effect of 3-NPA adminis tration on the cerebral concentrations of FFA used as a marker of oxid ative stress. Rats (n = 3/group) were dosed subcutaneously (s.c.) eith er with a vehicle (phosphate buffer) or 3-NPA in phosphate buffer at 3 0 mg/kg body weight. Animals were sacrificed after 1, 2, 3, and 6 h of injection. Brains were then dissected into frontal cortex (FC), cauda te nucleus (CN), and hippocampus (HIP). The concentration of total FFA increased from 130 to 300% within 1-2 h after 3-NP4 injection in all brain regions when compared with the baseline level obtained from the control rats and taken as 100%. In CN, FFA returned to the baseline le vel within 3 h of treatment. However, in FC and HIP the concentration of FFA remained significantly elevated above the baseline until 6 h. T he released FFA provide a substrate for free radicals formation. The r esults of this study suggest a role of oxidative stress in the mechani sm of 3-NPA toxicity. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.