RESUMO
Vitamin D deficiency, observed mainly in the geriatric population, is responsible for loss of bone mass and increased risk of bone fractures. Currently, recommended doses of cholecalciferol are advised, but since there are few studies evaluating the factors that influence the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) following supplementation, we analyzed the relationship between the increase in serum 25(OH)D after supplementation and body fat. We studied a group of 42 homebound elderly subjects over 65 years old (31 women) in order to assess whether there is a need for adjustment of the doses of cholecalciferol administered to this group according to their adipose mass. Baseline measurements of 25(OH)D, intact parathyroid hormone and bone remodeling markers (osteocalcin and carboxy-terminal fraction of type 1 collagen) were performed. Percent body fat was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The patients were divided into three groups according to their percent body fat index and were treated with cholecalciferol, 7,000 IU a week, for 12 weeks. The increases in serum levels of 25(OH)D were similar for all groups, averaging 7.46 ng/mL (P < 0.05). It is noteworthy that this increase only shifted these patients from the insufficiency category to hypovitaminosis. Peak levels of 25(OH)D were attained after only 6 weeks of treatment. This study demonstrated that adipose tissue mass does not influence the elevation of 25(OH)D levels following vitamin D supplementation, suggesting that there is no need to adjust vitamin D dose according to body fat in elderly homebound individuals.
Assuntos
Distribuição da Gordura Corporal , Conservadores da Densidade Óssea/administração & dosagem , Densidade Óssea/efeitos dos fármacos , Colecalciferol/administração & dosagem , Deficiência de Vitamina D/tratamento farmacológico , Vitamina D/análogos & derivados , Absorciometria de Fóton , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Suplementos Nutricionais , Feminino , Pacientes Domiciliares , Humanos , Masculino , Obesidade/sangue , Estudos Prospectivos , Vitamina D/sangue , Deficiência de Vitamina D/sangueRESUMO
Vitamin D deficiency, observed mainly in the geriatric population, is responsible for loss of bone mass and increased risk of bone fractures. Currently, recommended doses of cholecalciferol are advised, but since there are few studies evaluating the factors that influence the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) following supplementation, we analyzed the relationship between the increase in serum 25(OH)D after supplementation and body fat. We studied a group of 42 homebound elderly subjects over 65 years old (31 women) in order to assess whether there is a need for adjustment of the doses of cholecalciferol administered to this group according to their adipose mass. Baseline measurements of 25(OH)D, intact parathyroid hormone and bone remodeling markers (osteocalcin and carboxy-terminal fraction of type 1 collagen) were performed. Percent body fat was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The patients were divided into three groups according to their percent body fat index and were treated with cholecalciferol, 7,000 IU a week, for 12 weeks. The increases in serum levels of 25(OH)D were similar for all groups, averaging 7.46 ng/mL (P < 0.05). It is noteworthy that this increase only shifted these patients from the insufficiency category to hypovitaminosis. Peak levels of 25(OH)D were attained after only 6 weeks of treatment. This study demonstrated that adipose tissue mass does not influence the elevation of 25(OH)D levels following vitamin D supplementation, suggesting that there is no need to adjust vitamin D dose according to body fat in elderly homebound individuals.
Assuntos
Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Distribuição da Gordura Corporal , Conservadores da Densidade Óssea/administração & dosagem , Densidade Óssea/efeitos dos fármacos , Colecalciferol/administração & dosagem , Deficiência de Vitamina D/tratamento farmacológico , Vitamina D/análogos & derivados , Vitamina D/sangue , Absorciometria de Fóton , Suplementos Nutricionais , Pacientes Domiciliares , Obesidade/sangue , Estudos Prospectivos , Deficiência de Vitamina D/sangueRESUMO
Microspheres of polymers like poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) have been studied as a vehicle for controlled release vaccines. They require materials and processes that might change the protein antigenicity. Lactic acid is produced during microsphere degradation that occurs in tandem with protein liberation. In addition, most of the proteins that have been used in microencapsulation studies contain Thimerosal((R))(TM) and this can introduce another undesirable effect for their stability. We demonstrated in vitro that the thiosalycilic acid (TSA), produced after the reduction of TM by lactic acid, reduces the S-S bridge of the previously incubated diphtheric toxoid (Dtxd). This reduction is immediately followed by blocking the two -SH formed by the same TSA molecules. In the light of these conclusions it is necessary now, to reinterpret the in vitro protein degradation-stabilization data in the presence of PLGA microspheres, mainly for those proteins which contain S-S. We propose that all the PLGA microspheres microencapsulation studies and protein structural considerations should be done in the absence of TM as preservative.
Assuntos
Toxoide Diftérico/química , Ácido Láctico/química , Ácido Poliglicólico/química , Polímeros/química , Conservantes Farmacêuticos/química , Timerosal/química , Portadores de Fármacos/química , Interações Medicamentosas , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Microesferas , Copolímero de Ácido Poliláctico e Ácido PoliglicólicoRESUMO
We investigate the diffusion-reaction behavior of two-dimensional pore networks at the critical percolation point. Our results indicate the existence of three distinct regimes of reactivity, determined by parameter xi[triple bond]D/(Kl2), where D is the molecular diffusivity of the reagent, K is its chemical reaction coefficient, and l is the length scale of the pore. First, when the diffusion transport is strongly limited by chemical reaction (i.e., D<
RESUMO
The recombinant heat shock protein (18 kDa-hsp) from Mycobacterium leprae was studied as a T-epitope model for vaccine development. We present a structural analysis of the stability of recombinant 18 kDa-hsp during different processing steps. Circular dichroism and ELISA were used to monitor protein structure after thermal stress, lyophilization and chemical modification. We observed that the 18 kDa-hsp is extremely resistant to a wide range of temperatures (60% of activity is retained at 80 degrees C for 20 min). N-Acylation increased its ordered structure by 4% and decreased its beta-T1 structure by 2%. ELISA demonstrated that the native conformation of the 18 kDa-hsp was preserved after hydrophobic modification by acylation. The recombinant 18 kDa-hsp resists to a wide range of temperatures and chemical modifications without loss of its main characteristic, which is to be a source of T epitopes. This resistance is probably directly related to its lack of organization at the level of tertiary and secondary structures.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Bactérias/química , Proteínas de Choque Térmico/análise , Mycobacterium leprae/química , Proteínas de Bactérias/metabolismo , Vacinas Bacterianas/química , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Conformação Proteica , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , TemperaturaRESUMO
The recombinant heat shock protein (18 kDa-hsp) from Mycobacterium leprae was studied as a T-epitope model for vaccine development. We present a structural analysis of the stability of recombinant 18 kDa-hsp during different processing steps. Circular dichroism and ELISA were used to monitor protein structure after thermal stress, lyophilization and chemical modification. We observed that the 18 kDa-hsp is extremely resistant to a wide range of temperatures (60 percent of activity is retained at 80ºC for 20 min). N-Acylation increased its ordered structure by 4 percent and decreased its ß-T1 structure by 2 percent. ELISA demonstrated that the native conformation of the 18 kDa-hsp was preserved after hydrophobic modification by acylation. The recombinant 18 kDa-hsp resists to a wide range of temperatures and chemical modifications without loss of its main characteristic, which is to be a source of T epitopes. This resistance is probably directly related to its lack of organization at the level of tertiary and secondary structures
Assuntos
Proteínas de Bactérias , Proteínas de Choque Térmico , Mycobacterium leprae , Proteínas de Bactérias , Vacinas Bacterianas , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Conformação Proteica , Proteínas Recombinantes , TemperaturaRESUMO
We have constructed a transfer vector (pAgGal) containing the beta-galactosidase gene under control of the Escherichia coli gpt and AgMNPV polyhedrin (polh) promoters. The transfer vector was cotransfected with wild type Anticarsia gemmatalis nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgMNPV) DNA into A. gemmatalis (UFL-AG-286) cells and a recombinant baculovirus (vAgGalA2) was isolated. The beta-galactosidase gene insertion was checked by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using DNA from AgMNPV and vAgGalA2 and primers specific for regions upstream and downstream of the polh gene. Insect cells (UFL-AG-286) were infected with the recombinant vAgGalA2 and wild type AgMNPV viruses and the production of the heterologous protein analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Pulse-Chase. Beta-galactosidase was expressed at high levels late on infection as expected for a gene under the control of the polh promoter. The highly expressed beta-galactosidase protein was also shown to be biologically active by a beta-galactosidase assay.
Assuntos
Nucleopoliedrovírus/genética , beta-Galactosidase/genética , Animais , Sequência de Bases , Linhagem Celular , Escherichia coli/enzimologia , Escherichia coli/genética , Expressão Gênica , Vetores Genéticos , Guanosina Trifosfato/genética , Larva , Lepidópteros , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Nucleopoliedrovírus/patogenicidade , Proteínas de Matriz de Corpos de Inclusão , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , Transfecção , Proteínas Virais/genética , Proteínas Estruturais Virais , beta-Galactosidase/biossíntese , beta-Galactosidase/químicaRESUMO
Liposomes, as a pharmaceutical formulation must display a long shelf life. The recombinant heat-shock protein from Mycobacterium leprae (18-kDa hsp) or its N-acylated derivative, when entrapped within or externally associated with large unilamellar vesicles, acts as a T-epitope source. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy shows unequivocally that trehalose avoids aggregation and fusion of these vesicles. Formulations containing trehalose retained up to 98% of the entrapped protein. The highest antibody level is obtained with formulations containing trehalose. The adjuvant effect depends on the liposomal membrane integrity.
Assuntos
Antígenos de Bactérias/imunologia , Proteínas de Bactérias , Vacinas Bacterianas/administração & dosagem , Proteínas de Choque Térmico/imunologia , Mycobacterium leprae/imunologia , Trealose/química , Acilação , Adjuvantes Imunológicos , Animais , Anticorpos Antibacterianos/análise , Anticorpos Antibacterianos/biossíntese , Antígenos de Bactérias/química , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Técnica de Fratura por Congelamento , Imunização , Imunoglobulina G/análise , Imunoglobulina G/biossíntese , Imunoglobulina M/análise , Imunoglobulina M/biossíntese , Lipossomos , Membranas Artificiais , Camundongos , Veículos FarmacêuticosRESUMO
Protein stability is one of the most important obstacles for successful formulation in the development of new-generation vaccines. Here, the 18kDa heat-shock protein (18kDa-hsp) was chemically modified though conjugation with bovine serum albumin or by esterification with N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of palmitic acid. The biologically active conformation of the protein was preserved after chemical modification. The immune responses to the recombinant 18kDa-hsp from Mycobacterium leprae were studied in different presentations: free, copolymerized with bovine serum albumin in aggregates (18kDa-hsp-BSA), and either surface linked to liposomes or entrapped into liposomes. Measuring the antibody production of immunized genetically selected mice has compared the adjuvant effects of liposomes and proteic copolymer. Among the two liposome preparations, the strongest response was obtained with the surface-exposed antigen-liposomes. The copolymer 18kDa-hsp-BSA conferred a high titer of antibody in injected mice, and persisted 70 d after immunization. This approach should prove very useful for designing more effective vaccines by using 18kDa-hsp as carrier protein.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Bactérias , Proteínas de Choque Térmico/administração & dosagem , Proteínas de Choque Térmico/imunologia , Adjuvantes Imunológicos/administração & dosagem , Animais , Formação de Anticorpos , Bovinos , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Feminino , Proteínas de Choque Térmico/química , Lipossomos , Masculino , Camundongos , Mycobacterium leprae/química , Mycobacterium leprae/imunologia , Veículos Farmacêuticos , Conformação Proteica , Proteínas Recombinantes/administração & dosagem , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/imunologia , Soroalbumina Bovina/administração & dosagem , Vacinas Conjugadas/administração & dosagem , Vacinas Conjugadas/química , Vacinas Conjugadas/imunologia , Vacinas Sintéticas/administração & dosagem , Vacinas Sintéticas/química , Vacinas Sintéticas/imunologiaRESUMO
OBJETIVO - Testar a hipótese de associação entre hipertrofia miocárdica e níveis aumentados de insulina no soro de filhos de mães diabéticas, além de determinar a freqüência de regressão espontânea e o momento de sua ocorrência. MÉTODOS - Foram estudados 72 pacientes (54 filhos de mães diabéticas e 18 controles). O diagnóstico de hipertrofia miocárdica foi realizado por ecocardigrafia pré-natal, uni e bidimensional. Os registros da insulina amniótica foram obtidos de um estudo pré-natal prévio sobre hipertrofia miocárdica, pois a participação das gestantes era comum aos dois projetos. RESULTADOS - Houve 10 (18,52 'por cento') casos de hipertrofia miocárdica entre os filhos de mães diabéticas. As medidas do septo foram significamente diferentes entre os grupos (filhos de mães diabéticas e controles) na avaliação com 1 mês (p=0,04). A insulina manteve-se elevada nos filhos de diabéticas até 3 meses de idade, período em que era significantemente diferente em relação aos controles (p=0,003 e p =0,001, com 1 mês e 3 meses, respectivamente). A associação entre a regressão do septo interventricular e a regressão dos níveis de insulina ocorreu até 1 mês de idade. CONCLUSÄO - Houve regressão espontânea das medidas do septo interventricular até 6 meses de idade e a associação entre hiperinsulinismo e hipertrofia miocárdica esteve presente até 1 mês de idade.
Assuntos
Humanos , Masculino , Recém-Nascido , Diabetes Mellitus , Cardiomegalia/fisiopatologia , Hiperinsulinismo , Feto , Hiperplasia , Mães , PrevalênciaRESUMO
The 18 kDa antigenic protein from Mycobacterium leprae (P) or its N-acyl derivative (AP) was incorporated in dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) liposomes in water or in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). In water, 100% P incorporation in liposomes contrasts with 65% in PBS. There is 75-80% AP incorporation to liposomes in water against 55-65% in PBS, showing that attachment of hydrophobic residues to the protein, instead of increasing, further decreases incorporation to the liposomes. From protein adsorption on latex, P affinity is larger than AP affinity for the latex surface whereas limiting adsorption for AP is much larger than that obtained for P, possibly due to AP aggregation in solution. P-induced rupture of liposomes containing [14C]sucrose was evaluated from dialysis of protein/liposomes mixtures. In water, P incorporation to the liposomes causes leakage of radioactive contents contrasting with the absence of leakage for P incorporation in PBS. Immunization tests for delayed type hypersensitivity indicate a enhancement of cell-mediated immunological response towards P/DODAB complexes that is not obtained for the isolated protein. Absence of leakage for P in PBS is associated with a P "lying-over" on the liposome and optimization of protein presentation to the immunological system.
Assuntos
Adjuvantes Imunológicos/química , Proteínas de Bactérias/química , Proteínas de Choque Térmico/química , Hipersensibilidade Tardia , Lipossomos/química , Mycobacterium leprae/imunologia , Adsorção , Animais , Proteínas de Bactérias/imunologia , Cátions/metabolismo , Fenômenos Químicos , Físico-Química , Feminino , Proteínas de Choque Térmico/imunologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Microesferas , Compostos de Amônio Quaternário/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/imunologia , Sacarose/química , ÁguaRESUMO
PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that myocardial hypertrophy is associated with increased serum insulin levels in children of diabetic mothers and to determine the frequency and timing of this spontaneous regression. METHODS: Seventy-two patients were studied (54 children of diabetic mothers and 18 controls). Diagnosis of myocardial hypertrophy was made by fetal echocardiography. Amniotic fluid insulin levels were obtained from a previous prenatal study on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, since the participation of the mothers was common to both projects. RESULTS: There were 10 cases of myocardial hypertrophy among children of diabetic mothers (18.52%). Septal thickness was significantly different between the 2 groups (children of diabetic mothers and controls) in the evaluation performed at the age of 1 month (p = 0.04). Insulin levels were still increased in children of diabetic mothers until the age of 3 months. During this period insulin levels were significantly higher than those of controls (p = 0.003 and p = 0.001, at 1 and 3 months, respectively). The association between regression of ventricular septum thickness and the decrease of insulin levels occurred up to the age of 1 month. CONCLUSION: There was spontaneous regression of ventricular septum thickness in children of diabetic mothers during the first 6 months of life. The association between hyperinsulinism and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was present up to the first month of life.
Assuntos
Cardiomiopatia Hipertrófica/etiologia , Hiperinsulinismo/etiologia , Gravidez em Diabéticas , Cardiomiopatia Hipertrófica/diagnóstico por imagem , Feminino , Doenças Fetais/diagnóstico por imagem , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Insulina/análise , Estudos Longitudinais , Gravidez , UltrassonografiaRESUMO
Limited proteolysis of fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin by pepsin yields several well characterized peptides, one of which (P9, M(r) 9,000), induces fusion of small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) of phosphatidylcholine at pH 3.6. Circular dichroism (CD) of P9 solutions confirmed that the peptide undergoes a reversible transition between pH 7 and pH 3.6. The spectral changes observed with CD suggest that in the low pH conformation there is a decrease in the alpha-helical contents and an exposure of hydrophobic residues. CD and differential ultraviolet spectroscopy demonstrated that P9 binds to micelles of hexadecylphosphorylcholine and the binding produces changes in the tertiary structure of the peptide. Reduction and carboxymethylation of the two disulfide bridges of P9 produced loss of the ability to induce fusion of SUV, although the reduced peptide binds to vesicles, induces loss of entrapped marker and produces vesicle disruption. In the active form P9 exposes hydrophobic groups, one amphiphilic alpha-helix and requires the integrity of the disulfide bridge-stabilized tertiary structure.
Assuntos
Fusão de Membrana/fisiologia , Fosfatidilcolinas/química , Soroalbumina Bovina/química , Animais , Dicroísmo Circular , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Fosforilcolina/análogos & derivados , Fosforilcolina/química , Estrutura Secundária de Proteína , Espectrofotometria Ultravioleta , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
The advantages of the intrinsic fluorescence of the tryptophan and the absorbance of the methionine residues of the 18 kDa-hsp - a recombinant protein from Mycobacterium leprae - was exploited here to develop a sensitive and low costs method for protein assaying. They presented linearity between 3 and 1000 ìg of protein. The correlations between intrinsic fluorescence or absorbance at 230 nm and protein contents were both superiors to 0.99. These methods can be extended to others proteins with low aromatic residue contents
Assuntos
Animais , Metionina , Mycobacterium leprae , Triptofano , Aminoácidos AromáticosRESUMO
We have purified different membrane and soluble forms of alkaline phosphatase from human placenta and bovine intestine. The enzymes will be used as markers in immunoconjugates and/or as model for membrane enzyme studies. The membrane form of alkaline phosphatase extracted from bovine intestine was purified on Q-Sepharose and on L-histidyldiazobenzyl-phosphonic acid-agarose columns to remove phosphodiesterase activity. The purified enzyme had a molecular mass of 61 kDa, Km of 1208 microM, and Vmax 240 mumol pNP/min when assayed in 1 M diethanolamine, 0.5 mM MgCl2 buffer, pH 9.8, containing 10 to 2250 microM of pNPP at 37 degrees C. In the present investigation we studied the effect of salts and inositol derivatives on this enzyme activity, which was found to depend on 0.5 mM Mg2+, and to be fully inhibited by 1.2 mM Hg2+. Vanadate (0.5 mM) and Zn2+ (0.5 mM) reduced the Km value by 43% and 84%, respectively. Inositol (2 mM) and inositol-2-monophosphate (2 mM) reduced the activity by 23% and 17%. Inositol-1-monophosphate (0.5 mM) and cyclic-inositol-(1:2)-monophosphate (0.5 mM) enhanced their Km value by at least 30% compared to p-nitrophenylphosphate.
Assuntos
Fosfatase Alcalina/metabolismo , Intestinos/enzimologia , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Animais , Bovinos , HumanosRESUMO
We have purified different membrane and soluble forms of alkaline phosphatase from human placenta and bovine intestine. The enzymes will be used as markers in immunoconjugates and/or as model for membrane enzyme studies. The membrane formof alkaline phosphatase extracted from bovine intestine was purified on Q-Sepharose and on L-histidyldiazobenzylphosphonic acid-agarose columns to remove phosphodiesterase activity. The purified enzyme had a molecular mass of 61 kDa, Km of 1208 µM, and Vmax 240 µmol pNP/min when assayed in 1 M diethanolamine, 0.5 mM MgCl2 buffer, pH 9.8, containing 10 to 2250 µM of pNPP at 37§C. In the present investigation we studied the effect of salts and inositol derivatives on this enzyme activity, which was found to depend on 0.5 mM Mg2+, and to be fully inhibited by 1.2 mM Hg2+. Vanadate (0.5 mM) and Zn2+ (0.5 mM) reduced the Km value by 43 percent and 84 percent, respectively. Inositol (2 mM) and inositol-2-monophosphate (2 mM) reduced the activity by 23 percent and 17 percent. Inositol-1-monophosphate (0.5 mM) and cyclic-inositol-(1:2)-monophosphate (0.5 mM) enhanced their Km value by at least 30 percent compared to p-nitrophenylphosphate
Assuntos
Humanos , Animais , Bovinos , Fosfatase Alcalina/farmacocinética , Inositol/farmacologia , Intestinos/enzimologia , Cloreto de Cálcio/farmacologia , Cloreto de Magnésio/farmacologia , Cloreto de Mercúrio/farmacologia , Inositol/análogos & derivados , Vanadatos/farmacologia , Compostos de Zinco/farmacologiaRESUMO
We have extracted and purified four alkaline phosphatase forms from human term placenta. The enzymes are dependent on Mg2+ for their activity. They can be distinguished by different responses to Zn2+, vanadate and inositol derivatives.
Assuntos
Fosfatase Alcalina/metabolismo , Isoenzimas/metabolismo , Placenta/enzimologia , Fosfatase Alcalina/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Humanos , Isoenzimas/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Human placenta is an available hospital waste which is known to contain many valuable biochemicals that may be commercially exploited. Using placental tissue previously extracted for haemoderivatives, we purified basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a soluble protein, and placental alkaline phosphatase (PALP), a membrane-linked protein, as a coupled process. bFGF purification comprises three steps: extraction and chromatographies on S-Sepharose and heparin-Sepharose. The final product includes a major 17 kDa and a minor 16 kDa component with a specific activity of 8.0 x 10(6) units/mg yielding 0.5-1.0 microgram/kg of placenta. PALP purification comprises four steps: acidic butan-1-ol extraction and chromatographies on Q-Sepharose, concanavalin A-Sepharose and Q-Sepharose. The purified PALP has a molecular mass of 70 kDa, a specific activity of 800 units/mg and yielded 50 micrograms/kg of placenta. The results show the possibility of purifying substances in placental haemolysed blood, soluble products from placental cellular mass and proteins from the cellular membrane in a one-stream process.
Assuntos
Fosfatase Alcalina/isolamento & purificação , Fator 2 de Crescimento de Fibroblastos/isolamento & purificação , Placenta/química , Células 3T3 , Fosfatase Alcalina/metabolismo , Animais , Western Blotting , Cromatografia , Fator 2 de Crescimento de Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Humanos , Camundongos , Placenta/enzimologiaRESUMO
A study was carried out to determine the chemical composition and dietary effects of the oil from "mandi" (Pimelodus clarias). Findings revealed that it had a low proportion of essential C18:2 fatty acids and a high percentage of oleic acid (20.93%), as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids with more than 18 carbon atoms. Of the long-chain fatty acids, C22:6 was present in the highest percentage (1.94%). When rats were fed a diet the lipid source of which was the oil of mandi, they showed a reduced growth rate as compared to animals receiving the control diet (corn oil). The fatty acid composition of the liver and heart of rats from the experimental group was modified. The greatest variation occurred in the percentage of C22:6 in the heart muscle, wherein a five-fold increase was observed. Reduction of growth and alteration in the polyunsaturated fatty acids levels may be due to a deficiency in C18:2-w6, or to a possible imbalance between C18:2-w6 and C18:3-w3.