The Effects of Doxorubicin-based Chemotherapy and Omega-3 Supplementation on Mouse Brain Lipids

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment affects ~30% of breast cancer survivors, but the effects on how chemotherapy impacts brain lipids, and how omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation may confer protection, is unknown. Ovariectomized mice were randomized to two rounds of injections o...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Djawed Bennouna, Melissa Solano, Tonya S. Orchard, A. Courtney DeVries, Maryam Lustberg, Rachel E. Kopec
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
Series:Metabolites
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/9/10/208
Description
Summary:Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment affects ~30% of breast cancer survivors, but the effects on how chemotherapy impacts brain lipids, and how omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation may confer protection, is unknown. Ovariectomized mice were randomized to two rounds of injections of doxorubicin + cyclophosphamide or vehicle after consuming a diet supplemented with 2% or 0% EPA+DHA, and sacrificed 4, 7, and 14 days after the last injection (study 1, <i>n</i> = 120) or sacrificed 10 days after the last injection (study 2, <i>n</i> = 40). Study 1 whole brain samples were extracted and analyzed by UHPLC-MS/MS to quantify specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs). Lipidomics analyses were performed on hippocampal extracts from study 2 to determine changes in the brain lipidome. Study 1 results: only resolvin D1 was present in all samples, but no differences in concentration were observed (<i>P</i> &gt; 0.05). Study 2 results: chemotherapy was positively correlated with omega-9 fatty acids, and EPA+DHA supplementation helped to maintain levels of plasmalogens. No statistically significant chemotherapy*diet effect was observed. Results demonstrate a limited role of SPMs in the brain post-chemotherapy, but a significant alteration of hippocampal lipids previously associated with other models of cognitive impairment (i.e., Alzheimer&#8217;s and Parkinson&#8217;s disease).
ISSN:2218-1989