Incorporation of Very‐Long‐Chain Fatty Acids into Sphingolipids of Cultured Neural Cells

Abstract

We examined effects of exogenous very-long-chain fatty acids on lipids of cultured chick neurons and astrocytes. When chick neurons were incubated in chemically defined medium containing 10 microM nervonic acid (C24:1) for 7 days, it was found that a major fatty acid moiety of gangliosides and sphingomyelin was nervonic acid itself, which was not normally detected in the sphingolipid fraction. This alteration in the fatty acid composition apparently occurred in each ganglioside species. Under these experimental conditions, nervonic acid was not found in the glycerophospholipid fraction, and the amounts of triacylglycerol and free nervonic acid increased. Addition of behenic acid (C22:0) or erucic acid (C22:1) also induced changes in the fatty acid composition of gangliosides. When chick astrocytes were incubated in the presence of 10 microM nervonic acid for 7 days, no significant change was observed in the fatty acid composition of gangliosides. These studies indicate that the manipulation of the fatty acid moiety of sphingolipids in cultured neurons is possible.

Lipidomics reveal the cognitive improvement effects of Acer truncatum Bunge seed oil on hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy rats

“…48 EA C22:1 ω-9 and OA C18:1 ω-9 chains can be elongated and converted into NA C24:1 ω-9 in the brain, as supported by previous research. 49,50 NA C24:1 ω-9, a significant sphingolipid component of myelin membranes, plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of peripheral neuronal tissue and brain physiology. 51 Studies have shown that patients with cognitive impairment exhibit low levels of NA C24:1 ω-9, and nutritional supplementation with NA C24:1 ω-9 is thought to enhance cognitive function and brain development.…”

Cognitive improvement effect of nervonic acid and essential fatty acids on rats ingestingAcer truncatum Bungeseed oil revealed by lipidomics approach

“…40 Evidence has established that C22:1ω-9 and C18:1ω-9 can be converted to C24:1ω-9 in the brain via elongation of their chain in rats. 41,42 We speculated that the enhanced cognitive ability of the ASO-supplemented rats was attributed to the synergistic effects of NA and essential FAs.…”

Cellular and subcellular analysis of peripheral neuropathy caused by peroxisomal dysfunction in mice

“…Gangliosides make up 10-12% of neuronal membrane lipids and rely on lysosomal degradation (Sandhoff and Harzer, 2013). It has been demonstrated that they incorporate excessive VLCFA (Saito and Saito, 1991). Accordingly, we detected an elevated portion of GD1-species bound to VLCFA (Fig.…”