Changes in fatty acid composition of myelin cerebrosides after treatment of the developing rat with methylmercury chloride and diethylmercury.

Abstract

Suckling rats were exposed to methylmercury chloride or diethylmercury in order to induce chronic sublethal intoxication during the period of active myelination. Doses of 5 mg Hg/kg body weight were injected every second day from 5-25 days of age. The rats were killed at 27-28 days of age, and the brains contained about 1 microgram Hg/g wet weight. No changes in brain weight, myelin content of proteins or phospholipids were found, whereas the cholesterol and galactolipid levels were slightly reduced. The most significant change observed was a decrease in the ratio between alpha-hydroxy fatty acid and the nonsubstituted fatty acid in the myelin cerebrosides. The biochemical changes were less pronounced in the animals given diethylmercury than in animals receiving methylmercury.