Changes in the level of fatty acids in the brain of rats during memory acquisition.

Memory acquisition is accompanied by many cellular and molecular processes, and it is not always clear what role they play. Fatty acids (FAs) are known to be important for cognitive functions, but the details of their involvement in memory processes remain unknown. We investigated FAs in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of rats trained to perform a task with food reinforcement. The learning consisted of two training sessions, each of which included 10 trials. The results showed that such training altered individual FAs in the brains. The most significant changes were in the prefrontal cortex, where an increase in the level of many FAs occurred, especially after the second training session: palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0), docosahexaenoic (22:6, n-3), arachidonic (22:4, n-6), docosapentaenoic (22:5, n-6) acids. Changes in the fatty acid level after training in rats were detected only in the left hippocampus, where the levels of palmitic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids changed. The changes in the right hippocampus were not significant. In both the prefrontal cortex and the left hippocampus, 72 h after training, all FAs returned to control levels. We believe that the main role of a reversible increase in FA levels during memory acquisition is to support and protect cellular processes involved in memory acquisition. Consolidation of memory traces, which occurs mainly in the neocortex, requires protection from external influences, to which FAs makes a significant contribution. They are able to improve neuronal plasticity, enhance local blood flow, improve mitochondrial processes, and suppress pro-inflammatory signals.

Fatty Acid Content and Tumor Growth Changes in Mice After Exposure to Extremely High-Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation and Consumption of N-3 Fatty Acids.

The topical problem is to find new, more effective and safe treatments for cancer. The purpose of the present work was to study the combined effects of low-intensity extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR) and consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on tumor growth and the content of FAs in the thymus and tumor tissue in mice. Fatty acid composition was determined using gas chromatography. Exposure of tumor-bearing mice with solid Ehrlich carcinoma to EHF EMR with effective parameters (42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm2, 20 min daily for 5 consecutive days beginning on the first day after the tumor inoculation) led to delaying the tumor growth and restored the content of almost all FAs in thymic tissue to the level of intact animals. Animal intake of the preparation enriched with n-3 PUFAs increased the content of n-3 PUFAs in thymic tissue significantly, but did not affect the tumor growth, even in combination with EHF EMR exposure. Combined action of EHF EMR exposure and n-3 preparation promoted recovery of thymus weight in tumor-bearing animals. The data obtained assume a complex interaction between the immune system and the tumor, and the important role of FAs in the regulation of this interaction.

Modifying effects of low-intensity extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation on content and composition of fatty acids in thymus of mice exposed to X-rays.

PURPOSE: The effects of extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR) on thymus weight and its fatty acids (FA) content and FA composition in X-irradiated mice were studied to test the involvement of FA in possible protective effects of EHF EMR against ionizing radiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice were exposed to low-intensity pulse-modulated EHF EMR (42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm(2), 20 min exposure, 1 Hz modulation) and/or X-rays at a dose of 4 Gy with different sequences of the treatments. In 4-5 hours, 10, 30, and 40 days after the last exposure, the thymuses were weighed; total FA content and FA composition of the thymuses were determined on days 1, 10, and 30 using a gas chromatography. RESULTS: It was shown that after X-irradiation of mice the total FA content per mg of thymic tissue was significantly increased in 4-5 h and decreased in 10 and 30 days after the treatment. On days 30 and 40 after X-irradiation, the thymus weight remained significantly reduced. The first and tenth days after X-rays injury independently of the presence and sequence of EHF EMR exposure were characterized by an increased content of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and a decreased content of monounsaturated FA (MUFA) with unchanged content of saturated FA (SFA). Exposure of mice to EHF EMR before or after X-irradiation prevented changes in the total FA content in thymic tissue, returned the summary content of PUFA and MUFA to the control level and decreased the summary content of SFA on the 30th day after the treatments, and promoted the restoration of the thymus weight of X-irradiated mice to the 40th day of the observations. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the content and composition of PUFA in the early period after treatments as well as at the restoration of the thymus weight under the combined action of EHF EMR and X-rays indicate to an active participation of FA in the acceleration of post-radiation recovery of the thymus by EHF EMR exposure.

Exposure of tumor-bearing mice to extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation modifies the composition of fatty acids in thymocytes and tumor tissue.

PURPOSE: To test the participation of fatty acids (FA) in antitumor effects of extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR), the changes in the FA composition in the thymus, liver, blood plasma, muscle tissue, and tumor tissue in mice with Ehrlich solid carcinoma exposed to EHF EMR were studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal and tumor-bearing mice were exposed to EHF EMR with effective parameters (42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm2, 20 min daily during five consecutive days beginning the first day after the inoculation of tumor cells). Fatty acid composition of various organs and tissues of mice were determined using a gas chromatography. RESULTS: It was shown that the exposure of normal mice to EHF EMR or tumor growth significantly increased the content of monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and decreased the content of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) in all tissues examined. Exposure of tumor-bearing mice to EHF EMR led to the recovery of FA composition in thymocytes to the state that is typical for normal animals. In other tissues of tumor-bearing mice, the exposure to EHF EMR did not induce considerable changes that would be significantly distinguished between disturbances caused by EHF EMR exposure or tumor growth separately. In tumor tissue which is characterized by elevated level of MUFA, the exposure to EHF EMR significantly decreased the summary content of MUFA and increased the summary content of PUFA. CONCLUSIONS: The recovery of the FA composition in thymocytes and the modification of the FA composition in the tumor under the influence of EHF EMR on tumor-bearing animals may have crucial importance for elucidating the mechanisms of antitumor effects of the electromagnetic radiation.

The role of fatty acids in anti-inflammatory effects of low-intensity extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation.

The effects of low-intensity extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR; 42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm(2) , exposure duration 20 min) on the fatty acid (FA) composition of thymic cells and blood plasma in normal mice and in mice with peritoneal inflammation were studied. It was found that the exposure of normal mice to EHF EMR increased the content of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) (eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic) in thymic cells. Using a model of zymosan-induced peritoneal inflammation, it was shown that the exposure of mice to EHF EMR significantly increased the content of PUFAs (dihomo-γ-linolenic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic) and reduced the content of monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) (palmitoleic and oleic) in thymic cells. Changes in the FA composition in the blood plasma were less pronounced and manifested themselves as an increase in the level of saturated FAs during the inflammation. The data obtained support the notion that MUFAs are replaced by PUFAs that can enter into the thymic cells from the external media. Taking into account the fact that the metabolites of PUFAs are lipid messengers actively involved in inflammatory and immune reactions, we assume that the increase in the content of n-3 and n-6 PUFAs in phospholipids of cellular membranes facilitates the realization of anti-inflammatory effects of EHF EMR.