title: Alterations in erythrocyte membrane lipid composition and fluidity in primary lipoprotein lipase deficiency.
abstract: Lipid composition of plasma lipoproteins and erythrocyte ghost membranes has been studied in 16 healthy normolipidaemic subjects and in 16 patients affected by primary lipoprotein lipase deficiency, resulting in severe chylomicronaemia and in cholesterol-depleted low-density lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins. A significant decrease in membrane cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was observed in lipoprotein lipase deficient patients compared to controls (3.27 +/- 0.33 vs. 3.95 +/- 0.50, mean +/- S.D.; P less than 0.0001). There was also an increase in the erythrocyte membrane phosphatidylcholine/sphingomyelin ratio in lipoprotein lipase deficient patients compared to controls (1.53 +/- 0.10 vs. 1.05 +/- 0.13; P less than 0.0001) due to a concurrent increase in phosphatidylcholine and decrease in sphingomyelin relative concentrations in these patients. Erythrocyte ghost membrane fluidity was determined by fluorescence anisotropy and found to be higher in membranes from lipoprotein lipase deficient patients. This increase in membrane fluidity can be attributed in part to changes in membrane cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations in response to abnormal plasma lipoprotein composition.
authors.affiliation: Lipid Research Centre, CHUL Research Centre, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cantin
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gagné
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lupien
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Julien
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D002784:Cholesterol; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase