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PubMed1996

Enzymic lipid peroxidation--a consequence of cell injury?

It is postulated that cell injury activates "dormant" enzymes to produce lipid hydroperoxides. In a first step, membrane lipids are cleaved by esterases. The unsaturated fatty acids thus produced are converted in a second step by lipoxygenases to lipid hydroperoxides (LOOHs). In a third, nonenzymic step, these LOOHs, together with dienoic hydroxy fatty acids produced by enzymic reduction of LOOHs, react with a second oxygen molecule to generate dihydroperoxy-fatty acids and hydroxy-hydroperoxy-fatty acids, which are degraded to alpha-hydroxyladehydic compounds. This last reaction requires production of LO'-radicals by iron ions that also are generated as a result of cell damage. In addition, alpha-hydroxyaldehydes are produced by hydrolysis of plasmalogen epoxides, which are generated by oxidation of plasmalogens with LOO' or by action of epoxidases. We hypothize that alpha-hydroxyaldehydes act as second messengers. The release of lipoxygenase and the consequent lipid hydroperoxidation is postulated to occur in massive cell damage (e.g., myocardial infarction), in chronic diseases such as rheumatism, diabetes and atherosclerosis, in aging, and in control of cell proliferation.

Aging↗

PubMed2005

Brain arachidonic acid incorporation is decreased in heart fatty acid binding protein gene-ablated mice.

Heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) is expressed in neurons, but its role in brain fatty acid incorporation and metabolism is poorly defined. We examined the effect of H-FABP gene ablation on brain incorporation of arachidonic ([1-(14)C]20:4n-6) or palmitic ([1-(14)C]16:0) acid in vivo. Analysis of brain mRNA confirmed gene ablation and demonstrated no compensatory changes in the levels of other FABP mRNA in the gene-ablated mice. In brains from H-FABP gene-ablated mice, the incorporation coefficient for [1-(14)C]20:4n-6 was reduced 24%, while that for [1-(14)C]16:0 was unaffected. Within the organic and aqueous fractions, significantly more [1-(14)C]20:4n-6 was distributed into the aqueous fraction, suggesting a disruption in the metabolic targeting of 20:4n-6 in these mice. There was less incorporation of [1-(14)C]20:4n-6 into total phospholipids and a marked reduction (51%) in the level of incorporation into the choline glycerophospholipids (ChoGpl). Because FABP can influence steady-state lipid mass, brain individual lipid masses were measured. The brain total phospholipid mass was reduced 17% by gene ablation, ascribed to a 27% and 32% reduction in the masses of ChoGpl and sphingomyelin, respectively. Plasmalogen subclass masses were also reduced, suggesting that H-FABP may augment brain plasmalogen synthesis. In gene-ablated mice, the phosphatidylinositol 20:4n-6 level was reduced 25%, while the proportion of total n-6 fatty acids was reduced in the major phospholipid classes. Thus, these results demonstrate for the first time that H-FABP expression influences brain 20:4n-6 uptake and trafficking as well as steady-state brain lipid levels.

Animals↗

PubMed1968

Lipid metabolism in the testis of the ram.

1. Analysis of rams testes revealed that phosphatidylcholine was the major phospholipid and accounted for about 40% of the total. Only small amounts of choline plasmalogen were present. 2. The ratio of phosphatidylcholine to choline plasmalogen in the testis was very different from that occurring in the spermatozoa. This result was in contrast with those for rat testis and rat spermatozoa (obtained from the head of the epididymis), where the ratio of the two lipids was very similar. 3. Infusions of [(32)P]orthophosphate into the testicular artery of rams resulted in incorporation of radioactivity into most phospholipids; phosphatidylinositol labelling accounted for 68% and 39% of the radioactivity after infusions lasting 3hr. and 5hr. respectively. 4. With the exception of phosphatidic acid the specific radioactivity of phosphatidylinositol was higher than that of any other lipid. 5. After the infusion of [U-(14)C]glucose, triglycerides accounted for about 60% of the radioactivity in testicular neutral lipids, whereas diglycerides had only about 15% of the radioactivity. 6. Palmitic acid (16:0) was the major component both in neutral lipids and phospholipids of ram testes. 7. The effects of gonadotrophic hormones (luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone) on the incorporation of [(32)P]orthophosphate into total testicular phospholipids in vivo were also examined.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

The catabolism of plasmenylcholine in the guinea pig heart.

The hydrolysis of the alkenyl bonds of plasmenylcholine and plasmenylethanolamine by plasmalogenase, followed by hydrolysis of the resultant lysophospholipid by lysophospholipase, has been postulated as the major pathway for the catabolism of these plasmalogens. However, the postulation was based solely on the presence of plasmalogenase activity towards plasmenylethanolamine and plasmenylcholine in the brain. In this study we have demonstrated the absence of plasmalogenase activity for plasmenylcholine in the guinea pig heart under a wide range of experimental conditions. Plasmenylcholine was hydrolysed by phospolipase A2 activities in cardiac microsomal, mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions. Phospholipase A2 activities in these fractions had an alkaline pH optimum and were enhanced by Ca2+. The enzymes also displayed high specificity for plasmenylcholine with linoleoyl or oleoyl at the C-2 position. Lysoplasmalogenase activity for lysoplasmenycholine was also detected and characterized in the microsomal and mitochondrial fractions. Since the cardiac plasmalogenase is only active towards plasmenylethanolamine but not plasmenylcholine, the catabolism of these two plasmalogens must be different from each other. We postulate that the major pathway for the catabolism of plasmenycholine involves the hydrolysis of the C-2 fatty acid by phospholipase A2, and hydrolysis of the vinyl ether group of the resultant lysoplasmenylcholine by lysoplasmalogenase.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Therapeutic effects of docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester in patients with generalized peroxisomal disorders.

Generalized peroxisomal disorders are severe congenital diseases that involve the central nervous system, leading to severe psychomotor retardation, retinopathy, liver disease, and early death. In these disorders, peroxisomes are not normally formed and their enzymes are deficient. Characteristically, plasmalogen synthesis and beta-oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are affected. We found that patients with generalized peroxisomal disorders have a profound brain deficiency of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) and low DHA concentrations in all tissues and the blood. Given the fundamental role of DHA in neuronal and retinal membranes, a DHA deficiency of this magnitude might be pathogenic. Thus, we studied the possible therapeutic effect of normalizing DHA concentrations in patients with peroxisomal disorders. We chose the DHA ethyl ester (DHA-EE) because of its high degree of purity at daily oral doses of 100-500 mg. This article summarizes the results of treatment of 13 patients with DHA-EE, with some follow-up evidence of clinical improvement. Supplementation with DHA-EE normalized blood DHA values within a few weeks. Plasmalogen concentrations increased in erythrocytes in most patients and after DHA concentrations were normalized, amounts of VLCFAs decreased in plasma. Liver enzymes returned almost to normal in most cases. From a clinical viewpoint, most patients showed improvement in vision, liver function, muscle tone, and social contact. In 3 patients, normalization of brain myelin was detected by magnetic resonance imaging. In 3 others, myelination improved. In a seventh patient, myelination is progressing at a normal rate. These results suggest a fundamental role of DHA in the pathogenesis of Zellweger syndrome. DHA therapy is thus strongly recommended, not only to alleviate symptoms in patients with life-threatening diseases, but also to clarify remaining questions regarding the role of DHA in health and disease.

Brain↗

PubMed1977

Bovine milk xanthine oxidase, blood lipids and coronary plaques in rabbits.

The effects of prolonged intravenous administration of bovine milk xanthine oxidase (EC 1.2.3.2.) on blood lipids and arterial integrity were measured to determine if the administration of this enzyme produces metabolic changes conducive to plaque formation. New Zealand White rabbits were injected intravenously with bovine milk xanthine oxidase at 4-day intervals during a 13-week test period. At the end of the test period, the rabbits were killed and blood, heart, aorta, liver, and kidneys were collected and evaluated. Rabbits injected with phosphate buffer or acid-denatured xanthine oxidase for the same length of time served as negative controls. Additional rabbits fed a diet containing 3% added cholesterol for the same time period served as positive controls. The administration of xanthine oxidase in large amounts over a prolonged period did not alter serum cholesterol or triglyceride levels and did not reduce plasmalogen levels in the aorta or heart. Xanthine oxidase administration did not induce arterial plaque formation. Cholesterol feeding over the same time period increased serum cholesterol levels, reduced liver xanthine oxidase activity levels and resulted in a marked development of arterial plaques. Althouth xanthine oxidase activity was found in liver from all rabbits, enzyme activity was not detectable in aorta, heart or kidneys from any rabbit. Free or complexed bovine milk xanthine oxidase could not be demonstrated in heart, aorta, liver or kidneys from any of the rabbits with immunodiffusion or with immunofluorescent techniques. The study showed that when large intravenous doses of bovine milk xanthine oxidase were given to rabbits, the enzyme was not deposited in heart, aorta, liver or kidneys. The study also showed that large intravenous doses of xanthine oxidase over prolonged periods did not deplete arterial or coronary tissue plasmalogens, and did not induce arterial plaque formation.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Meats and fish consumed in the American diet contain substantial amounts of ether-linked phospholipids.

The primary goal of this study was to determine the amounts of ether-containing phospholipids, along with their concentration of certain polyunsaturated acyl groups, from selected, commonly consumed foods of animal origin (salmon, catfish, pork, beef, turkey and chicken). Levels of ether-linked glycerolipids in the samples were of particular interest, because ingestion of ether lipids could contribute to the production of platelet-activating factor (PAF; 1-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine), one of the most potent biological mediators known. Alkylacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine was found in all of the meats, with pork loin having the highest levels (0.9 mumol/g tissue) and chicken breasts the lowest (0.1 mumol/g tissue). Although choline plasmalogens were not as evident as the ubiquitous ethanolamine plasmalogens, substantial amounts (1.0 mumol/g tissue) of alk-1-enylacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine were found in tissues from beef and turkey. Triacylglycerols contained greater proportions of saturated fatty acids than phospholipids, and the ether-linked phospholipids were generally more unsaturated than diacyl species of the same phospholipid. Our data indicate that in addition to the phospholipid fraction of commonly eaten animal tissues supplying substantial amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, they are also a rich source of ether-linked lipids. Dietary ether-linked phospholipids could influence the lipid composition of host tissues to the extent that biological responses produced by ether lipid mediators would be affected.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Structural and chemical alterations in the cerebral maldevelopment of fetal cerebro-hepato-renal (Zellweger) syndrome.

The cerebra of four abortuses (estimated gestational age 14-22 weeks), diagnosed as cerebro-hepato-renal (Zellweger) syndrome in utero, were examined morphologically with light microscopic, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural techniques and biochemically with gas liquid chromatographic assays for cholesterol ester fatty acids and plasmalogens. Centrosylvian architectonic abnormalities consisting, in part, of thin cortical plates and broad subcortical heterotopic zones were found in all abortuses. Astrocytes, neuroblasts, immature neurons and radial glia contained abnormal pleomorphic cytosomes, presumably of variable lipid composition. The same areas exhibited increases in cholesterol ester very long chain fatty acids and decreased plasmalogens. A pathogenetic hypothesis, proposing that regional tissue constraints act in concert with a peroxisomal-derived biochemical abnormality to impede centrosylvian neuronal migration, is discussed.

Adrenoleukodystrophy↗

PubMed1981

Occurrence and properties of phospholipases A1 of plasma membranes prepared from neuronal- and glial-enriched fractions of the rabbit cerebral cortex.

Exogenously added glycerophosphatides, specifically radioactively labelled either in the 1 or in the 2 position, were used to investigate the occurrence and properties of phospholipase A1 in plasma membranes prepared from neuronal- and glial-enriched fractions of rabbit brain. Phospholipase A1 activity was maximal at pH values ranging between 8.0 and 9.0 for the plasma membranes of both cell types. The enzyme activity was most abundant in the microsomal fraction, with a neuronal/glial ratio of about 2. The plasma membranes displayed about half the enzymic activity of the microsomal fraction, whereas only small amounts of phospholipase A1 were present in the neuronal and glial mitochondria. Investigations on the substrate specificity showed a different pattern for the enzyme of neuronal and glial origin. The release of labelled fatty acids from phosphatidylcholine by the neuronal plasma membrane phospholipase A1 decreased with increasing degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids at the 1 position. The presence of plasmalogens and plasmalogen precursors in the incubation mixture appreciably inhibited the hydrolysis of the corresponding diacyl compounds.

Animals↗

PubMed1982

Peripheral nerve phospholipid composition: development in normal nerve and age-dependent changes in Wallerian degenerated nerve.

The phospholipid composition of normal peripheral nerve as a function of developmental age as well as that of Wallerian-degenerated nerve as a function of age at nerve transection and duration of Wallerian degeneration have been quantitated in rabbit sciatic nerve. During development, increases in the proportions of ethanolamine plasmalogen, sphingomyelin, and combined phosphatidyl serine plus phosphatidyl inositol and decreases in the proportions of phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine correlated well with the concurrent myelin accretion. During Wallerian degeneration, age-dependent changes in phospholipid composition were observed. The large and statistically significant increase in the proportion of phosphatidyl choline and decrease in the proportion of ethanolamine plasmalogen were manifest promptly in nerves transected at 2 weeks of age but in a delayed manner in nerves transected at 8, 12, and 20 weeks of age. The rate of loss of individual phospholipids was greater in nerves transected at younger ages. The findings from normal developing peripheral nerve may well serve as baseline data for subsequent studies of phospholipid composition in pathological peripheral nerve. The findings from Wallerian-degenerated peripheral nerve provide additional evidence for age-dependent chemical changes occurring in Wallerian-degenerated peripheral nerve that may be of significance in explaining the superior functional recovery from peripheral nerve injury observed in younger compared with older subjects.

Aging↗

PubMed1984

Positional distribution of acyl and alk-1-enyl groups in grey and white matter ethanolamine and choline phosphoglycerides of a marsupial, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus).

The major phosphoglycerides in grey and white matter from the brain of the koala have been separated and examined. The major polyunsaturated fatty acids present in both the diacyl- and alk-1-enyl acylglycerophosphorylethanolamines from grey matter were 22:6 omega 3, 20:4 omega 6, and 22:4 omega 6. In both grey and white matter, 22:6 omega 3 and 20:4 omega 6 were concentrated in the 2-position of diacylglycerophosphorylethanolamines and 22:4 omega 6 in the 2-position of alk-1-enylacylglycerophosphorylethanolamines; polyunsaturated fatty acid levels were higher in diacylglycerophosphorylethanolamines. Ethanolamine phosphoglyceride fractions from grey matter were enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids compared with those from white matter. The acyl groups 18:0, 18:1, and 16:0 and their alk-1-enyl analogues were prominent in grey and white matter ethanolamine phosphoglycerides; 18:1 was dominant in white matter alk-1-enylacylglycerophosphorylethanolamines. The plasmalogen composition of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides was 55% in grey matter and 76% in white matter. Choline phosphoglycerides contained negligible plasmalogen and low polyunsaturated fatty acid levels. Diacylglycerophosphorylcholine was characterized by high levels of 16:0 and 18:1. Similar acyl group distributions were estimated in the 1-position in both grey and white matter, 16:0 being present at greater than 50%. The presence of the molecular species 18:0/22:6 omega 3 was indicated in grey matter diacylglycerophosphorylethanolamine, 18:1/18:1 in white matter alk-1-enylcylglycerophosphorylethanolamine, and 16:0/18:1 in white matter diacylglycerophosphorylcholine.

Acylation↗

PubMed1987

Effects of chronic ethanol administration on rat brain phospholipid metabolism.

Alterations in brain phospholipid metabolism were observed after chronic ethanol administration for 16 days to developing rats. Animals were injected intraperitoneally with 32Pi 16 h prior to killing. Overall uptake of 32Pi by brain did not differ between the control and ethanol-treated groups, which were killed 2 h and 24 h after the last ethanol feeding. Except for an increase in the labeling of myelin after ethanol treatment, the amount of radioactivity recovered in the synaptosomal-mitochondrial and plasma membrane fractions of control and ethanol-treated groups was not different. Relative to the radioactivity of phosphatidylcholines, which indicated no change, there were increases (20-44%) in labeling of ethanolamine plasmalogens, phosphatidic acids, and phosphatidylinositols in cortical synaptosomes from the 2-h ethanol-treated group. In the plasma membrane fractions, however, increases (9-14%) in labeling of phosphatidylserines and phosphatidylinositols were observed in both 2- and 24-h ethanol-treated groups. In both membrane fractions, there was an obvious increase (44-86%) in labeling of polyphosphoinositides at 24 h after withdrawal from ethanol. Results thus indicate an adaptive increase in the biosynthesis of ethanolamine plasmalogen and brain acidic phospholipids due to chronic ethanol administration. Furthermore, the increase in labeling of polyphosphoinositides in the 24-h withdrawal group may reflect the hypoactivity associated with ethanol withdrawal.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Complementation analysis in patients with the clinical phenotype of a generalised peroxisomal disorder.

The generalised peroxisomal disorders (GPDs) Zellweger syndrome (ZS), neonatal adrenoleucodystrophy (NALD), and infantile Refsum's disease (IRD) are autosomal recessive disorders associated with a failure to assemble mature peroxisomes. We confirmed the diagnosis of a GPD in eight ZS and four IRD patients (GPD1 to GPD12) biochemically by measuring very long chain fatty acids, plasmalogen biosynthesis, and catalase solubility in skin fibroblasts. One further patient (BOX-1) had the clinical phenotype of ZS, but biochemical investigations indicated an isolated deficiency of peroxisomal beta oxidation. To date a total of 10 complementation groups (CGs) for the GPDs and three further CGs for isolated beta oxidation deficiencies have been identified. Most GPD patients have been shown to belong to CG-1 (Baltimore classification); among the rarer groups, CG-4 and CG-8 predominate. We performed somatic cell hybridisation experiments on strains GPD-1 to GPD-12 using plasmalogen biosynthesis as a marker for correction and found that six ZS and three IRD patients, eight of whom were of UK origin, belonged to CG-1. Strain GPD-11, a patient of UK origin with an unusual biochemical phenotype, belonged to CG-8. Strains GPD-10 and GPD-12 were derived from ZS patients of Arabian and Pakistani origin and belonged to the rarer CGs 2 and 7, respectively. Furthermore, complementation analysis using beta oxidation as a marker showed that BOX-1 had an isolated deficiency of the bifunctional protein.

Catalase↗

PubMed2002

Biochemical markers predicting survival in peroxisome biogenesis disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To identify prognostic markers reflecting the extent of peroxisome dysfunction in primary skin fibroblasts from patients with peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBD). BACKGROUND: PBD are a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders due to defects in at least 11 distinct genes. Zellweger syndrome is the prototype of this group of disorders, with neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy and infantile Refsum disease as milder variants. Common to these three disorders are liver disease, variable neurodevelopmental delay, retinopathy, and perceptive deafness. Because genotype-phenotype studies are complicated by the genetic heterogeneity among patients with PBD, the authors evaluated a series of biochemical markers as a measure of peroxisome dysfunction in skin fibroblasts. METHODS: Multiple peroxisomal functions including de novo plasmalogen synthesis, dihydroxyacetonephosphate acyltransferase (DHAPAT) activity, C26:0/C22:0 ratio, C26:0 and pristanic acid beta-oxidation, and phytanic acid alpha-oxidation were analyzed in fibroblasts from a series of patients with defined clinical phenotypes. RESULTS: A poor correlation with age at death was found for de novo plasmalogen synthesis, C26:0/C22:0 ratio, and phytanic acid alpha-oxidation. A fairly good correlation was found for pristanic acid beta-oxidation, but the best correlation was found for DHAPAT activity and C26:0 beta-oxidation. A mathematic combination of DHAPAT activity and C26:0 beta-oxidation showed an even better correlation. CONCLUSIONS: DHAPAT activity and C26:0 beta-oxidation are the best markers in predicting life expectancy of patients with PBD. Combination of both markers gives an even better prediction. These results contribute to the management of patients with PBD.

Acyltransferases↗

PubMed2007

Myocardial lipidomics. Developments in myocardial nuclear lipidomics.

The development of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry has been critical for the analyses of lipidomes from subcellular organelles. The myocardial nuclear lipidome likely has a key role in the molecular regulation of gene expression. In fact, recent studies have suggested that specific phospholipid classes bind and regulate specific transcription factors. The dynamic regulation of the myocardial nuclear lipidome may be critical in mediating long-term pathological responses to stresses such as ischemia, tachycardia, and hypertension. In this brief review, the preparation of myocardial nuclei is discussed, and the resulting nuclear lipidome from rat and rabbit are shown as examples. The rabbit myocardial nuclear lipidome contains relatively more plasmenylcholine/phosphatidylcholine molecular species in comparison to that ratio observed in the rat myocardial nuclear lipidome. The composition of the rat myocardial nuclear choline glycerophospholipid pool was relatively enriched with molecular species containing arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in comparison to that in the rabbit myocardial nuclear choline glycerophospholipid pool. While the ethanolamine glycerophospholipids of the rabbit myocardial nuclei are enriched with arachidonic acid and plasmalogens, the ethanolamine glycerophospholipid profile from rat myocardial nuclei show less plasmalogen and more species containing docosahexaenoic acid. Last, significant differences in the ethanolamine glycerophospholipid molecular species were observed in the rabbit heart lipidomes from the nucleus and the mitochondria. Quantitation of these lipid species in hearts subjected to pathophysiological stresses may provide important information on the role of the myocardial nuclear lipidome on long-term cardiac cell function.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Differences in the acyl composition of the platelet-activating factor (PAF) precursor and other choline phosphoglycerides of the rabbit retinal rod outer segments and neural retina.

Choline phosphoglycerides comprise almost half of vertebrate retinal phospholipids. This lipid pool contains the precursor of the potent lipid mediator, platelet-activating factor. The acyl composition and distribution of the different subclasses of the choline phosphoglycerides (alkylacyl-[or the precursor of platelet-activating factor], alkenylacyl-[or choline plasmalogen] and diacyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine) were studied in intact rabbit retina, neural retina and rod outer segments. Choline phosphoglycerides were isolated by high performance liquid chromatography and derivatized by acetylation after phospholipase C treatment. The derivatives were purified by high performance liquid chromatography and subjected to methanolysis. Fatty acids were analyzed by capillary gas liquid chromatography. In the intact retina and in the neural retina, the alkylacyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine and alkenylacyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine comprise 1.2% and 1.5%, respectively, of the total choline phosphoglycerides, whereas the rod outer segments contain twice the proportion of the precursor of platelet-activating factor and no detectable plasmalogens. On a mole percent basis, arachidonic acid was highest in the neural retinal alkenylacyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (27%), 18% in the alkylacyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine and only 5% in the diacyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine. However, alkylacyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine from rod outer segments was enriched in docosapentaenoic acid (18%) while arachidonic acid was in the 3-4% range. Our results suggest that, in the neural retina, alkyl-arachidonoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine is a source of both platelet-activating factor and of arachidonic acid which may be a substrate for both prostaglandins and lipoxygenase metabolites during an inflammatory episode and may contribute to the retinal pathology.

Acetylation↗

PubMed2000

Structural characterization of oxidized phospholipid products derived from arachidonate-containing plasmenyl glycerophosphocholine.

Plasmenyl phospholipids are a structurally unique class of lipids that contain a vinyl ether substituent at the sn-1 position of the glycerol backbone, imparting unique susceptibility to oxidative reactions that may take place at the cell membrane lipid bilayer. Several studies have supported the hypothesis that plasmalogens may be antioxidant molecules that protect cells from oxidative stress. Because the molecular mechanism for the antioxidant properties of plasmenyl phospholipids is not fully understood, the oxidation of arachidonate-containing plasmalogen-glycerophosphocholine (GPC) was studied using electrospray tandem mass spectrometry after exposure to the free radical initiator 2, 2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)hydrochloride (AAPH). Various oxidized GPC products involving the sn-1 position alone (1-formyl-2-arachidonyl lipids and lysophospholipid), oxidation products involving the sn-2 position alone (chain-shortened omega-aldehyde radyl substituents at sn-2) as well as products oxidized both at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions were observed and structurally identified. The results of these experiments suggest that oxidation of plasmenyl phospholipids esterified with polyunsaturated fatty acid groups at sn-2 likely undergo unique and specific free radical oxidation at the 1'-alkenyl position as well as oxidation of the double bond closest to the ester moiety at sn-2.

Amidines↗

PubMed2000

Sterol carrier protein-2 expression alters phospholipid content and fatty acyl composition in L-cell fibroblasts.

The effects sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2) expression on L-cell phospholipid levels and fatty acyl composition was assessed using L-cells transfected with the murine cDNA encoding for either the 15 kDa proSCP-2 or 13.2 kDa SCP-2. Expression of these proteins reduced total phospholipid mass (nmol/mg protein) by 24% and reduced the cholesterol to phospholipid ratio 60 and 28%, respectively. In 15 kDa proSCP-2 expressing cells, individual phospholipid class masses, excluding sphingomyelin (CerPCho), were reduced as follows: phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) and phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) >> ethanolamine glycerophospholipid (EtnGpl) > choline glycerophospholipid (ChoGpl). Furthermore, ethanolamine plasmalogen mass was decreased 25%, while choline plasmalogen mass was elevated 30% in 15 kDa proSCP-2 expressing cells. In 13.2 kDa SCP-2 expressing cells, phospholipid class mass was decreased as follows: PtdIns and PtdSer >> ChoGpl. These changes in phospholipid mass resulted in altered cellular phospholipid composition. Expression of either protein differentially altered the type of fatty acid esterified onto the phospholipids. These effects included a greater proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids and a reduction in saturated fatty acids, although 15 kDa proSCP-2 expression had a more robust effect on these parameters than did 13.2 kDa SCP-2 expression. In summary, expression of SCP-2 reduced individual phospholipid class mass, except for CerPCho, and altered the fatty acid composition of each phospholipid class examined. These results clearly demonstrate that SCP-2 expression altered basal phospholipid levels, suggesting that SCP-2 can alter the function of endoplasmic reticulum phospholipid synthetic enzymes.

Animals↗