title: Influence of a hyperlipidic diet on the composition of the non-membrane lipid pool of red blood cells of male and female rats.
abstract: Background and objectives. Red blood cells (RBC) are continuously exposed to oxidative agents, affecting their membrane lipid function. However, the amount of lipid in RBCs is higher than the lipids of the cell membrane, and includes triacylglycerols, which are no membrane components. We assumed that the extra lipids originated from lipoproteins attached to the cell surface, and we intended to analyse whether the size and composition of this lipid pool were affected by sex or diet. Experimental design. Adult male and female Wistar rats were fed control or cafeteria diets. Packed blood cells and plasma lipids were extracted and analysed for fatty acids by methylation and GC-MS, taking care of not extracting membrane lipids. Results. The absence of ω3-PUFA in RBC extracts (but not in plasma) suggest that the lipids extracted were essentially those in the postulated lipid surface pool and not those in cell membrane. In cells' extracts, there was a marked depletion of PUFA (and, in general, of insaturation). Fatty acid patterns were similar for all groups studied, with limited effects of sex and no effects of diet in RBC (but not in plasma) fatty acids. Presence of trans fatty acids was small but higher in RBC lipids, and could not be justified by dietary sources. Conclusions. The presence of a small layer of lipid on the RBC surface may limit oxidative damage to the cell outer structures, and help explain its role in the transport of lipophilic compounds. However, there may be other, so far uncovered, additional functions for this lipid pool.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain ; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain ; CIBER OBN , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Remesar
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain ; CIBER OBN , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Arantxa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antelo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Clàudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Llivina
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albà
authors.affiliation: Scientific & Technical Services, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berdié
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agnelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Sofía
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arriarán
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain ; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain ; CIBER OBN , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fernández-López
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain ; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain ; CIBER OBN , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Marià
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alemany
keywords: Blood lipids; Cafeteria diet; Hyperlipidic diet; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Red blood cells; Trans fatty acids