Abstract
In the present investigation, the influences of age and vitamin E on the fatty acid composition of red blood cell membrane were studied in rats and the following results were obtained : In the vitamin e deficient rat, the decrease of palmitic acid and the increase of polyunsaturated long chain fatty acid (carbon number>20) on the fatty acid pattern were observed. This phenomenon resembles closely an alteration in aging. In order to separate the blood into fresh and aged cells and to investigate the effect of vitamin E on these different aged cells, the centrifugal fractionation method was applied upon the bloods obtained from individual animals. The decrease of palmitic acid and the increase of polyunsaturated long chain fatty acids were observed in aged cells obtained from vitamin E deficient young animals (6 months), but not in them from vitamin E sufficient young animals. This age-dependent change on fatty acid pattern was more intensified in old animals (24 months) regardless of vitamin E. It was observed that vitamin E deficiency accelerated the age-dependent changes on fatty acid pattern of the red blood cell membrane. However, it was suggested that the changes might be brought not only by vitamin E and the other nutrients but also by the essential biological regulation.
