Myelin lipids in the brain after transplacental intoxication with ethylnitrosourea.

At day 15 of gestation pregnant mice were injected with a single intravenous dose of ethylnitrosourea (ENU) (80 mg/kg of body weight). The lipid composition of the myelin fraction isolated by means of differential centrifugation from brains of their offsprings was studied. The transplacentally intoxicated mice developed severe changes in the lipid composition of their central myelin sheaths, such as a markedly decreased galactolipid (both cerebroside and sulfatide) as well as plasmalogen contents. The results show, that besides being a well known carcinogenic agent, ENU is capable of affecting the lipid metabolism of the developing central nervous system. The resultant effect is the formation of a chemically defective myelin sheath.