Chronic effects of perchloroethylene on the composition of lipid and acyl groups in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the gerbil.

Continuous exposure of Mongolian gerbils to perchloroethylene (PCE) (120 ppm) for 12 months in an inhalation chamber caused no changes in body or brain weights. The protein content, the concentration of lipid phosphorus or cholesterol were unaltered in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. However, a small change in the fatty acid pattern of phospholipid was observed. In the phosphatidylethanolamine of cerebral cortex and hippocampus a decrease was found among the long-chain, linolenic acid-derived, fatty acids. The ratio 22:4 (N-6)/22:5 (N-3) was increased, indicating a shift towards the corresponding linoleic acid-derived 22-carbon fatty acids. The observed changes among poly-unsaturated fatty acids are similar to those appearing after peroxidation and either protein or essential fatty acid malnutrition. However, an attractive explanation for the changes is that they represent a response to the fluidizing properties of PCE.