Cited by 200Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchMetabolomics and Mass Spectrometry StudiesFatty Acid Research and Health

The enteric bacterial metabolite propionic acid alters brain and plasma phospholipid molecular species: Further development of a rodent model of autism spectrum disorders

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Thomas, Raymond H, Meeking, Melissa M, Mepham, Jennifer R, Tichenoff, Lisa, Possmayer, Fred, Liu, Suya, MacFabe, Derrick F·2012·Journal of Neuroinflammation

Abstract

Gastrointestinal symptoms and altered blood phospholipid profiles have been reported in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Most of the phospholipid analyses have been conducted on the fatty acid composition of isolated phospholipid classes following hydrolysis. A paucity of information exists on how the intact phospholipid molecular species are altered in ASD. We applied ESI/MS to determine how brain and blood intact phospholipid species were altered during the induction of ASD-like behaviors in rats following intraventricular infusions with the enteric bacterial metabolite propionic acid. Animals were infused daily for 8 days, locomotor activity assessed, and animals killed during the induced behaviors. Propionic acid infusions increased locomotor activity. Lipid analysis revealed treatment altered 21 brain and 30 blood phospholipid molecular species. Notable alterations were observed in the composition of brain SM, diacyl mono and polyunsaturated PC, PI, PS, PE, and plasmalogen PC and PE molecular species. These alterations suggest that the propionic acid rat model is a useful tool to study aberrations in lipid metabolism known to affect membrane fluidity, peroxisomal function, gap junction coupling capacity, signaling, and neuroinflammation, all of which may be associated with the pathogenesis of ASD.

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  • Accumulation of SCFAs, specifically propionate, has broad effects on nervous system physiology and is associated with the pathogenesis of ASD.

    “However, the accumulation of SCFAs, and specifically of propionate, has also been shown to have broad effects on the nervous system physiology, and it is associated to the pathogenesis of ASD [175,176].”

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Authors
Thomas, R. H., Meeking, M. M., Mepham, J. R., Tichenoff, L., Possmayer, F., Liu, S., & MacFabe, D. F.
Affiliations
Western University (CA)
Corresponding author
Thomas, Raymond H
Venue
Journal of Neuroinflammation
Published
2012-07-02
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
153-153
ISSN
1742-2094 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2103294794
Cited by
200
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 4
FWCI
6.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroinflammation (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Autism Research Institute
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, propionic acid, gut-brain axis, phospholipid molecular species, brain phospholipids, plasma phospholipids, intraventricular infusion, locomotor activity, sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, plasmalogens, lipid metabolism, neuroinflammation, membrane fluidity
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Child, Preschool, Disease Models, Animal, Enterobacteriaceae, Humans, Motor Activity, Phospholipids, Propionates, Biomarkers, Rats, Long-Evans, Rats, Infusions, Intraventricular

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