Alterations in erythrocyte membrane lipids in abetalipoproteinemia: phospholipid and fatty acyl composition.
Scanning electron microscopic observation revealed that there were wide variations including typical acanthocytes in morphology of erythrocytes from a patient with abetalipoproteinemia. The erythrocyte membrane phospholipids and cholesterol contents from a patient was higher by 25% compared to an age-matched control subject. Analysis of phospholipid composition of red blood cells showed an increase of sphingomyelin (25.1----30.1%) with a concomitant decrease of lecithin (27.5----21.0%). Thus, the sphingomyelin/lecithin ratio was increased dramatically (0.91----1.43). As for fatty acyl chain composition of main phospholipids, an increased percentage of palmitic acid and docosahexaenoic acid and a decreased proportion of arachidonic acid and lignoceric acid were observed for sphingomyelin. There was an increment of palmitic acid which was accompanied with a decrease of linoleic acid in lecithin. On the other hand, no significant difference was shown in the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidylinositol between a patient and control.
D000012:Abetalipoproteinemia / Q000097:blood*; D000050:Acanthocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000097:blood; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood*; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000097:blood
D005227:Fatty Acids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010743:Phospholipids; D013109:Sphingomyelins; D002784:Cholesterol