The occurrence of arachidonic acid in Triatoma infestans |
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| Authors: | R R Brenner A M Bernasconi |
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| Affiliation: | Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Argentina. |
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| Abstract: | 1. Gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry were used to verify the presence of arachidonic acid (20:4 omega 6) in adult male and female organs of the blood-suckling bug Triatoma infestans. Fat body, gonad and head lipids were analyzed. 2. Male gonads contained the highest percentage of phospholipids and the highest percentage of arachidonic acid. 3. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine and sphingomyelin were isolated from gonads and heads of sexed insects and the fatty acid composition analyzed. 4. All the phospholipids analyzed contained relevant percentages of linoleic acid and fair percentages of arachidonic acid, except for sphingomyelin where no 20:4 omega 6 acid was found. 5. However, arachidonic acid was specifically incorporated in phosphatidylinositol since this phospholipid contained very large percentages of the acid. 6. In male gonads, phosphatidylcholine also contained a similar high percentage of the acid. Arachidonic acid is apparently incorporated, selectively, into these lipids from the blood of the host. |
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