Abstract
The incorporation and metabolism of α-linolenic acid (18∶3n−3) and its Δ6 desaturase product, stearidonic acid (18∶4n−3), were compared by NIH-3T3 cells. In the presence of fetal calf serum, cells accumulated exogenously added 18∶3n−3 and 18∶4n−3 apparently at the expense of oleic acid (18∶1n−9). Both 18∶3n−3 and 18∶4n−3 were elongated and desaturated to eicosatetraenoic acid (20∶4n−3), eicosapentaenoic acid (20∶5n−3) and docosapentaenoic acid (22∶5n−3), but not to docosahexaenoic acid (22∶6n−3), and were incorporated into phospholipids and triacylglycerols. Over a 4−d period, the growth of NIH-3T3 cells was slightly stimulated in the presence of 18∶3n−3 (20 μg/mL) but was strongly inhibited in the presence of 18∶4n−3 at the same concentration. This inhibition may be caused by enhanced lipid peroxidation as a result of the high levels of 18∶4n−3 present.
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Abbreviations
- Chol:
-
cholesterol
- DMEM:
-
Dulbecco's modified essential medium
- HPLC:
-
high-performance liquid chromatography
- PC:
-
phosphatidylcholine
- PE:
-
phosphatidylethanolamine
- PI+PS:
-
phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine
- PUFA:
-
polyunsaturated fatty acids
- TG:
-
triacylglycerol
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Cantrill, R.C., Huang, YS., Ells, G.W. et al. Comparison of the metabolism of α-linolenic acid and its Δ6 desaturation product, stearidonic acid, in cultured NIH-3T3 cells. Lipids 28, 163–166 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536634
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02536634