ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL AND PHOSPHOLIPASE A(2) IN LIVER AND BRAIN OF CHICKS POSTHATCHING - THE INFLUENCE OF DIETARY-FAT AND VITAMIN-E

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 A(2) and alpha-tocopherol concentration in liver. cerebrum and affected cerebellum posthatching. Therefore, chicks were fed either oleic, linoleic or linolenic acid rich fats together with 5, 25, or 125 ppm vitamin E. At the end of 0, 1, 2 and 3 weeks the tocopherol content and phospholipase A(2) activity of liver, cerebrum and cerebellum were determined. Dietary fatty acids did not influence tissue alpha-tocopherol and phospholipase A(3). In the vitamin E-deficient cerebellum the enzyme activity of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) was increased. Due to its low content of vitamin E the cerebellum is the most susceptible tissue to oxidative stress during vitamin E deficiency.