Abstract
3-Acetylpyridine (3-AP), an antagonist of nicotinic acid was given to suckling rats of 6 days of age. Rats were killed on 6, 10, 15, 19, 24, 27 and 30 days of age. The quantity of myelin, cerebroside and DNA in brain, and the concentration of thyroid hormon in serum were determined for in rats receiving 3-AP as well as for those of pair-fed and ad libitum control. The experimental animals showed lower values in yield of myelin, content of cerebroside and activity of 2', 3'-cyclic nucleotide-3-phosphohydrolase (CNP) than those of pair-fed and ad libitum control animals. Whereas, rats receiving 3-AP and pair-fed control, showed lower values in quantity of DNA in brain and concentration of thyroid hormon in serum, when compared with ad libitum control. These results indicate that 3-AP plays some role in the loss of myelin rather than in development of undernourishment due to restricted food intake. Our observations suggest that nicotinic acid may influence myelination through the metabolism of cerebroside which contains long-chain fatty acids.
