Influence of thermal acclimation on membrane lipid composition of rainbow trout liver

Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) acclimated to 5 degrees C possessed larger livers and less neutral lipid per gram of liver than 20 degrees C-acclimated animals; quantities of liver glycolipid, phospholipid, and cholesterol did not vary significantly with acclimation temperature. The relative proportions of phosphatidylethanolamine increased significantly following cold exposure, whereas the quantities of sphingomyelin and cardiolipin declined. For all phosphatides examined (phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, lysolecithin, cardiolipin, sphingomyelin) cold acclimation resulted in 1) an increase in the quantity of polyunsaturated fatty acids, 2) a reduction in the level of saturated fatty acids, and 3) little change in the total content of monoenes and dienes. The increased content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in choline and ethanolamine phosphatides following cold acclimation was confined to the 2-position and occurred at the expense of monoenes and dienes. The relative proportions of n - 3 fatty acids, and less frequently n - 6 fatty acids, increased in phosphatides of cold-acclimated trout, whereas the relative proportions of n - 9 fatty acids declined. These data suggest a preferential incorporation of fatty acids belonging to the linolenic acid family at reduced temperatures. Temperature-induced changes in the chemical composition of trout liver phospholipids counteracted the effects of acute temperature change on nonelectrolyte permeability of isolated liposomes.