α-Tocopherol and Phospholipase A2 in Liver and Brain of Chicks Posthatching: The Influence of Dietary Fat and Vitamin E

Abstract

One of the classical vitamin E deficiency syndromes is nutritional encephalomalacia in broiler chicken. Subject of this study was the influence of dietary fatty acids and vitamin E on phospholipase A₂ and α-tocopherol concentration in liver, cerebrum and affected cerebellum posthatching. Therefore, chicks were fed either oleic, linoleic or linolenic acid rich fats together with 5 2 5 or 12 5 ppm vitamin E. At the end of 0,1,2 and 3 weeks the tocopherol content and phospholipase A₂ activity of liver, cerebrum and cerebellum were determined. Dietary fatty acids did not influence tissue α-tocopherol and phospholipase A₂. In the vitamin E-deficient cerebellum the enzyme activity of cytosolic phospholipase A₂ was increased. Due to its low content of vitamin E the cerebellum is the most susceptible tissue to oxidative stress during vitamin E deficiency.