Tissue variation in hydrocarbon composition in the rabbit

Abstract

This study, which deals with the distribution of hydrocarbons in seven types of rabbit tissues, was done for the purpose of providing information that might help shed light on the biological relevance of the hydrocarbons in mammalian metabolism. Liver, kidneys, brain, spleen, skeletal muscle, perinephric adipose, and a sample of blood serum were collected from a single animal for analysis of their hydrocarbon composition. The analytical methodology consisted of solvent extraction, saponification (adipose), elution chromatography on hydrated alumina, and combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Hydrocarbons were detected in all of the tissues examined at concentrations estimated to range from 0.1 to 0.01% of the total lipid extracted Three quite distinct distribution modes were recognized. The bulk of the identified components consisted of normal, saturated, nonterpenoid hydrocarbons in the C16 to C33 range. Squalene, phytene, phytadiene, and pristane were the only terpenoids detected. Nonterpenoid branched (iso and anteiso) hydrocarbons were identified unequivocally and in significant amounts in the muscle only. The adipose was the only tissue which was relatively rich in monoalkenes, and its overall hydrocarbon composition closely resembled that of the feed. The results of the study are not consistent with metabolic inertness. The observed qualitative and quantitative differences might reflect function and metabolic activities of the individual organs in a way yet to be elucidated.

Changes in the DNA of lymphocytes from pristance treated rats

“…Our results illustrate several important points. First, in agreement with previous studies [31,32], pristane was detected within the tissues of normal, untreated rats. This was probably attributable to dietary exposure to pristane in that the rat chow contained 1.42 ~tg of pristane/g.…”

“…One possible explanation is that the degree to which pristane partitions into and is retained by various tissues is dependent upon tissue fat content. In cases where pristane has been isolated from mammalian tissues, the hydrocarbon was consistently associated with organs or tissues containing high levels of lipids [31,32]. And finally, there was a temporal relationship between the accumulation of pristane within a particular lymphoid organ and the decreased fluorescent intensities of PI-stained cells from the same tissue.…”

Volatile Concentration and Flavor of Beef as Influenced by Diet

“…This study confirmed findings pertaining to terpenoid compounds identi- fied by Larick et al (1987) in that phyt-1-ene, phytane, phyt-2-ene, neophytadiene and dihydrophytol content decreased when cattle were finished on grain. Phytene and phytadiene were identified in several types of rabbit tissue, which included the kidneys, muscle, and adipose tissue (Ferretti and Flanagan, 1977). Presence of these compounds in rabbit tissues has been attributed to the feed, which also contained phytene and phytadiene.…”

Conditions for Extraction and Concentration of Beef Fat Volatiles with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

“…Diterpenes have been isolated from feed (Boardman, 1966;Body, 1977;Ferretti and Flanagan, 1977), animal tissues (Ferretti and Flanagan, 1977;Lorenz et al, 1983), and animal products (Body, 1977;Flanagan and Ferretti, 1973;Patton and Benson, 1966). Urbach and Stark (1975) reported that levels of diterpenes were dependent on the diet.…”