EFFECT OF 1-AMINOCYCLOPENTANE-1-CARBOXYLIC ACID (CYCLOLEUCINE) ON DEVELOPING RAT CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM PHOSPHOLIPIDS

Treatment of developing rats with 1-amino-cyclopentane carboxylic acid (cycloleucine) resulted in changes in brain and spinal cord phospholipid content and fatty acid composition. General findings were a decrease in ethanolamine phospholipid content, and relative increase in the saturated fatty acid content of ethanolamine phospholipid. In all the different cycloleucine experiments conducted, there was consistently less fatty aldehyde present in the methylated ethanolamine phospholipid fatty acid-fatty aldehyde fractions than in corresponding controls. In some experiments fatty aldehyde was almost completely absent, suggesting the presence of little plasmalogen. Changes in fatty acids of phosphatidyl choline, the other phospholipid examined in this manner, were generally minor. Administration of massive amounts of sodium propionate in addition to cycloleucine did not result in an appreciable odd-chain fatty acid increase in the CNS. Examination of the spinal cords by electron microscopy demonstrated considerable myelin splitting in one set of animals. No other ultrastructural changes were evident. The suitability of this drug to produce a neurological condition and pathological state similar to that seen in B₁₂-deficient subacute combined degeneration is discussed.