Abstract
Brain is one of the most lipid-rich tissues containing large variety of lipid molecules. Recent advances in lipid research have been attracting great interests in lipid metabolism in the brain and its physiological and/or pathophysiological significance. Membrane phospholipids, when hydrolyzed by phospholipases, can cause two classes of lipid mediators: fatty acid derivatives such as prostaglandins (PGs) and leukotrienes (LTs), and lysophospholipid-related mediators such as platelet-activating factor (PAF). Possible involvement of specific lipid mediators in the brain physiology and/or pathophysiology has been suggested; however, the information has been rather limited because of lack of a strategy for comprehensive understanding of lipid mediator production profiles. In the present symposium, we introduce our recent development of a multiplex quantitation system by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) that covers various lipid mediators and its application to a comprehensive profiling analysis of lipid mediator production in the rodent brain, especially in the hippocampus during kainic acid-induced seizure, an animal model of human temporal lobe epilepsy. [J Physiol Sci. 2007;57 Suppl:S48]
