Changes in Lipidome Composition during Brain Development in Humans, Chimpanzees, and Macaque Monkeys

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biochemistry
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Lipids are crucial for brain structure and function.
• Understanding lipidome changes during development and evolution is vital for neuroscience and comparative biology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively analyze and compare the lipidome composition in the prefrontal cortex of humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus monkeys.
• To investigate age-dependent changes in lipid profiles across species and identify species-specific lipid alterations.

Main Methods:

• Mass spectrometry-based lipidomics was employed to quantify lipid peaks.
• Analysis included samples from postnatal development through adulthood across three primate species.

Main Results:

• Over 7,500 lipid peaks showed significant age-dependent changes, with most occurring before adulthood.
• 36% of age-dependent lipids displayed species-specific concentration profiles, with 488 unique to humans.
• Human and chimpanzee lipidome differences were most pronounced in early development, but human-specific changes persisted longer.

Conclusions:

• Brain lipidome composition undergoes substantial developmental and evolutionary changes.
• Significant human-specific lipidome alterations occur throughout the lifespan, particularly in early adulthood.
• These findings provide insights into the molecular basis of human brain evolution and development.