Experimental Study Of Arsenic And The Antagonistic Action Of Vitamin E On Fatty Acid Metabolism In Mice

Objective To study the influence of arsenic and the antagonistic action of vitamin E on fatty acid metabolism in mice. Methods Kunming mice were divided into nine groups according to the factorial experiment design of two factors and three levels. The mice of different groups were fed with both various amounts of arsenic in drinking water and vitamin E for two months to produce the animal model of subchronic arsenic poisoning. The mice were fed the different dose of arsenic the LD50 and the dose of vitamin E according to the youngsters RDA (recommended dietary allowance). The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the contents of malondiasldehyde (MDA) in the organs of mice were measured by test kit. Phospholipid in mice liver and kidney was extracted by the Bligh-Dyer method and fatty acid compositions of the phospholipid were assayed using gas chromatog-raphy. Results (l)The SOD and GSH-Px contents were lower (P<0.05), while the MDA contents were higher (KO. 05) in arsenic groups. Correspondingly, the SOD and GSH-Px contents were higher (KO. 05), while the MDA contents were lower (KO. 05) in the groups added with various dose of vitamin E (abbreviated by VE+AS). (2)The fatty acid compositions of phospholipid in arsenic groups changed abnormally, which the proportion of21unsaturated fatty acids reduced and the saturated fatty acids increased (P<0.05). While, in ve+As groups, the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids increased and the saturated fatty acids reduced nearly to normal level (P<0.05). Conclusions (1) Lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the anti-lipid peroxidation might play a vital role in the mechanism of arsenism. (2) The high dose of arsenic can be accumulated and it can cause the abnormal changes of the fatty acids of phospholipid in the liver and kidney, which might be the result from oxidative stress and the increased level of lipid peroxidation. (3) There was a interaction between arsenic and vitamin E. Vitamin E has an antagonistic action against the arsenism through protecting the normal compositions of fatty acids of phospholipid and mataining the balance of the lipid peroxidation and anti-lipid peroxidation system.