The effect of S-Adenosyl-L-methionine on ischemia-induced disturbances of brain phospholipid in the gerbil.

Brain ischemia was produced in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) by the bilateral ligation of the carotid arteries with reported procedures. Changes in the energy status of brain demonstrated that carotid ligation was effective. At different time intervals from ligation, groups of gerbils were given either saline of S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) by the intraventricular (i.v.) route (1.6 mg/Kg body wt. twice, at each 10 min interval), or by the intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration (200 mg/Kg body wt.) or subcutaneously (s.c.) with 40 mg/Kg body wt, daily, for two weeks. Control animals, with and without SAMe, together with the ischemic groups, were decapitated directly into liquid nitrogen, 10 min after ligation. Brain neutral and polar lipid, together with free fatty acids, which were all labeled in vivo by the intraventricular injection of [1-14C]arachidonic acid 2 hr prior to ligation, were extracted, purified and separated by conventional procedures. SAMe when injected i.v. or i.p. noticeably corrected the changes in polar lipid by reversing the decrease of brain phosphatidylcholine and choline plasmalogen, as well as of their labeling, which was due to ischemia. Concurrently with this action, SAMe treatment (i.v. and i.p.) also provided to some extent to re-establish the normal level of labeling of ethanolamine lipids. When SAMe was given s.c., no effect was present. SAMe had no effect on the increase of free fatty acid and diglyceride due to ischemia. The prevention by SAMe of the changes of choline lipids suggests that a stimulation of the methyltransferase reaction may occur in the ischemic brain, due to increased substrate (SAMe) availability. This effect may be important for cell survival, since membrane phospholipid derangements alter the properties of the membrane.