Lipidomics and H218O labeling techniques reveal increased remodeling of DHA-containing membrane phospholipids associated with abnormal locomotor responses in α-tocopherol deficient zebrafish (danio rerio) embryos

We hypothesized that vitamin E (α-tocopherol) is required by the developing embryonic brain to prevent depletion of highly polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6), the loss of which we predicted would underlie abnormal morphological and behavioral outcomes. Therefore, we fed adult 5D zebrafish (Danio rerio) defined diets without (E−) or with added α-tocopherol (E+, 500 mg RRR-α-tocopheryl acetate/kg diet) for a minimum of 80 days, and then spawned them to obtain E− and E+ embryos. The E− compared with E+ embryos were 82% less responsive (p

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Highlights • α-Tocopherol deficient (E-) embryos are abnormal and have impaired locomotor responses. • DHA-containing phospholipids and lysophospholipids are depleted in E− embryos. • E- embryos have increased turnover of DHA-containing phospholipids and lysophospholipids. • DHA delivery to tissues is compromised, contributing to the functional impairments in E- embryos.