Metabolism of linolenic acid in developing brain: I. Incorporation of radioactivity from 1-(14)C linolenic acid into brain fatty acids.

Twelve-thirteen day old rats were given 1-(14)C linolenic acid by intraperitoneal injection. Fatty acids were isolated from the brains of animals sacrificed at the end of 8 and 48 hr and 15 and 45 days. Eight hr after the tracer, radioactivity was found neither in 18∶3 nor its endproduct, 22∶6, and palmitate was the most highly radioactive component. At longer intervals, 22∶6 seemed to retain much of the radioactivity, whereas palmitate showed a precipitous decline in radioactivity. Initial oxidation of linolenate and sparing of the linolenate complexed with polar lipids are discussed.