Studies on Changes Induced by Bodily Irradiation in Fatty Acid Composition of Organs and Serum Part Ⅰ. Changes in the long chain fatty acid of the rabbit induced by a relatively minute quantity of (32)p-lebeled phosphate

For the purpose to study changes in the compostion of the long-chain fatty acids induced by a relatively minute quantity of (32)P-radiation of the body, 500 μCi/kg of Na(2)H(32)PO(4) were injected intravenously into normal rabbits and the internal organs and the serum were taken out at intervals of 24, 48 and 72 hours after the injection, and studied the composition by means of gas-chromatography. The results are briefly summarized in the following. 1. As the result it was found that the distribution of (32)P in the organs was in the descending order of liver→kidney→spleen→bone marrow. 2. The fatty acid composition in each of these organs as well as in the serum is affected by beta-ray irradiation of a relatively minute dose. 3. There can be observed rhythmic fluctuations in the composition even of the one and the same fatty acid (e. g. C(18:2)) which is specific to each organ. 4. It is difficult to determine the changes in the composition of the long-chain fatty acids induced by (32)P labeled phosphate simply on the basis of gas- chromatographic study conducted at any unit time interval.