Okamoto T, Shiwaku K
Department of Environmental Medicine, Shimane Medical University, Japan.
Exp Toxicol Pathol. 1994 Jul;46(2):133-41. doi: 10.1016/S0940-2993(11)80042-4.
Temporal variations in chronic effects of inhalated 300 ppm trichloroethylene (TCE) on the fatty acid composition in rats were investigated to clarify influences of TCE on the fatty acid metabolism of serum, liver and brain, including synaptosome, myelin and mitochondria fractions on weeks 0, 4, 8, 12 after exposure and on week 4 after rehabilitation started following 12 weeks exposure. On week 4, rats exposed to TCE had significantly lighter body weight, lighter epididymal fat pads weight and heavier liver weight compared with controls. In liver and serum, increases in 16:0, 18:0, 18:1n-9, 20:2n-6, 20:3n-6 and 20:4n-6 and decreases in 18:2n-6, 18:3n-6, 18:3n-3, 20:5n-3, 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 were also observed. The differences between the exposure and the control groups in the fatty acid composition in liver and serum, except for 18:1n-9 and 18:2n-6, did not enhance from week 4 after TCE exposure. In brain, significant changes of fatty acid composition caused by TCE appeared as decreases in 18:2n-6 and 22:5n-3, and increases in 20:4n-6 and 22:4n-6 during the whole exposure period. Changes of fatty acid composition in brain occurred in the same manner as in serum and liver phospholipids, except that 18:1n-9 was elevated in mitochondria. Changes in brain were slighter and appeared later than those in liver and serum. TCE had a strong effect on the fatty acid composition of mitochondria in neural cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
