Histochemical and thin layer chromatographic analyses of neutral lipids in Leucochloridiomorpha constantiae (Trematoda) adults

Histochemical and thin layer Chromatographic studies were made on neutral lipids in adult Leucochloridiomorpha constantiae (Trematoda) obtained from the bursa of Fabricius of experimentally infected domestic chicks. Oil Red O staining of adults revealed neutral lipids in the suckers, parenchyma and eggs, and trace amounts in the cecal epithelium and lumina of the gut. TLC analysis detected triglycerides and free sterols as the major neutral lipid fractions of adults. Lesser amounts of free fatty acids, cholesterol esters, mono- and diglycerides were also found.     

A novel fluorescent fatty acid, 5-methyl-BDY-3-dodecanoic acid, is a potential probe in lipid transport studies by incorporating selectively to lipid classes of BHK cells.

The 5-methyl-BDY-3-dodecanoic acid (B12FA) labelling of BHK cell lipids was analyzed by thin layer and reverse phase column chromatography. Incorporation to phospholipids was selective: over 90% of B12FA label was enriched in phosphatidylcholine. The major molecular species of PC was that containing palmitate as the unlabelled fatty acid. Small amounts of label was also found in other phosphoglycerides, but not in sphingomyelin. Triglycerides and diglycerides constituted the main B12FA-labelled neutral lipid classes; however, no label was found in cholesterol esters. B12FA was degraded to shorter homologues, which had significantly slower lipid incorporation rates. B12FA-labelled cells displayed in a microscope initially green reticular type fluorescence, but later red spherical structures, representing neutral lipid droplets, could also be seen. It is concluded that B12FA does not incorporate indiscriminately to all lipid classes of BHK cells, but is enriched to PC, diglycerides and triglycerides, which could be utilized in studies on lipid transport as well as metabolism.     

Transport of lipids in insects

Many insect species are almost completely dependent on lipids for their metabolic needs, although this is usually a function of developmental stage. The primary storage organ is the fat body, which can constitute 50% of the fresh weight of the insect and also acts as the major metabolic center (analogous to the vertebrate adipose tissue and liver). Bathing the fat body (and all other tissues and organs) is the hemolymph, the main functions of which are to transport nutrient substrates to utilization sites and to deliver metabolic wastes to the excretory system. Although neutral lipids are stored as triglycerides, in times of need they appear to be endergonically released into the hemolymph as diglycerides in the majority of insects thus far studied (particularly silkmoths and locusts). Indeed, diglycerides constitute the largest neutral lipid fraction in the hemolymph of silkmoths, locusts, cockroaches, bugs, etc. In the hemolymph the diglyceride is found as a constituent of specific lipoproteins, and one specific lipoprotein class (lipoprotein I; high density lipoprotein) appears to be necessary for the transport of diglyceride from the fat body cell into the hemolymph. This particular lipoprotein is also involved in the transport of cholesterol from the gut into the hemolymph. Thus, lipoprotein I appears to be the major neutral lipid and sterol transport agent in the insects studied and, in addition, plays a regulatory role in the release of both diglycerides and sterols. Hemolymph lipoprotein II (very high density lipoprotein) may be important in providing protein and lipid to the insect ovary during oogenesis. Ecdysone, the polyhydroxy steroidal insect molting hormone, is probably carried "free" in the hemolymph, although reports exist of specific hemolymph-binding proteins in some species. The other major insect growth hormone, juvenile hormone, is transported by hemolymph lipoproteins in silkmoths and locusts and by a lower molecular weight hemolymph protein in the tobacco hornworm.     

Detailed Analyses of Individual Neutral Lipid Classes of Pneumocystis

SUMMARY Individual neutral lipid classes of Pneumocystis carinii carinii were isolated and purifed by thin-layer chromatography. The fatty acids in steryl esters, triglycerides, free fatty acids, diglycerides, and monoglycerides were quantified by gas-liquid chromatography. The fatty acid compositions of these lipids were similar to those of the neutral lipid classes in whole rat lung controls, unlike comparable studies of phospholipid classes. The free fatty alcohols of rat lung controls and P. carinii were also identified and quantified; only saturated fatty alcohols were detected.     

The neutral lipid composition present in the digestive vacuole of Plasmodium falciparum concentrates heme and mediates β-hematin formation with an unusually low activation energy

In eukaryotic cells, neutral lipids serve as major energy storage molecules; however, in Plasmodium falciparum, a parasite responsible for causing malaria in humans, neutral lipids may have other functions during the intraerythrocytic stage of the parasite life cycle. Specifically, experimental data suggest that neutral lipid structures behave as a catalyst for the crystallization of hemozoin, a detoxification byproduct of several blood-feeding organisms, including malaria parasites. Synthetic neutral lipid droplets (SNLDs) were produced by depositing a lipid blend solution comprised of mono- and diglycerides onto an aqueous surface. These lipid droplets are able to mediate the production of brown pigments that are morphologically and chemically identical to hemozoin. The partitioning of heme into these SNLDs was examined by employing Nile Red, a lipid specific dye. Soluble ferriprotoporphyrin IX was observed to spontaneously localize to the lipid droplets, partitioning in a pH-dependent manner with an estimated log P of 2.6. Interestingly, the pH profile of heme partitioning closely resembles that of β-hematin formation. Differential scanning calorimetry and kinetic studies demonstrated that the SNLDs provide a unique environment that promotes hemozoin formation. SNLD-mediated formation of the malaria pigment displayed an activation energy barrier lower than those of individual lipid components. In particular, lipid droplets composed of diglycerides displayed activation barriers lower than those composed of monoglycerides. This difference was attributed to the greater fluidity of these lipids. In conjunction with the known pattern of lipid body proliferation, it is suggested that neutral lipid structures within the digestive vacuole not only are the location of in vivo hemozoin formation but are also essential for the survival of the parasite by functioning as a kinetically competent and site specific mediator for heme detoxification.     

The lipids of phosphorescent Vibrio albensis bacteria]

The lipid composition of fluorescent vibrios, V. eltor and nonagglutinating vibrios has been studied. In the fraction of polar lipids phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and cardiolipin and in the fraction of neutral lipids monoglycerides, free fatty acids, diglycerides, triglycerides, sterol esters have been identified. The fatty acid composition of some classes of neutral lipids have been determined. Both similarity and differences between the strains under study in their lipid and fatty acid composition have been established.     

Composition of lipids of Actinomyces olivaceus--synthesis of vitamin B 12]

Total cellular lipids of the synthetic of vitamin B12 Act. olivaceus involve predominantly phospholipids (about 70%). Lipid phosphates consist of phosphatidyl ethanol amine and phosphatidyl-2,3-butandiol (over 40 and 30%, respectively) and lower quantities of phosphatidyl inositol olmonomanoside and cardiolipin. The neutral fraction includes the predominating fraction of triglycerides (over 20%) as well as mono- and diglycerides, free fatty acids, hydrocarbons and three fractions similar to waxes, sterines and sterine esters in their Rf values.     

[3H]Arachidonic acid metabolism in rat brain minces: Effects of nucleotide triphosphates,CDPcholine and CMP

Rat brain minces were used to investigate the effects of nucleotides on the metabolism of arachidonic acid in nerve tissue. Brain free fatty acids, neutral lipids and phospholipids, were radiolabeled in vivo following intracerebral injection of [³H]arachidonic acid. Minces were prepared from the radiolabeled cerebra and were incubated in a modified Krebs-Ringer buffer with and without various nucleotides. The incubation-induced accumulation of unesterified [³H]arachidonate was reduced in the presence of CDPcholine, ATP, CTP, GTP, and UTP. These nucleotides inhibited choline and inositol glycerophospholipid hydrolysis. They also reduced the amount of labeled diglycerides. However, CDPethanolamine had no effect on arachidonic acid metabolism in the mince preparation and CMP appeared to stimulate further hydrolysis of choline glycerophospholipids, resulting in increased accumulation of [³H]arachidonic acid and labeled diglycerides. We suggest that the production of unesterified [³H]arachidonate and labeled diglycerides is due to the involvement of more than one catabolic reaction, since the high energy nucleotides had similar effects on fatty acid accumulation, but different effects on phospholipid labeling.     

Separation and detection of neutral lipids and free fatty acids in a liver extract by high-performance liquid chromatography

A relatively simple method to determine hepatic neutral lipids and free fatty acids by highperformance liquid chromatography is described. This method involves the preparation of a chloroform extract of the total liver lipids, followed by removal of the phospholipids by adsorption onto silicic acid and elution of neutral lipids and free fatty acids with 50% diethyl ether in hexane. This fraction is then subjected to liquid-solid chromatography with a solvent system of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (isooctane):tetrahydrofuran:formic acid (90:10:0.5) and is detected by refractive index. Cholesterol esters, fatty acids, cholesterol, and diglycerides each elute as single peaks, easily quantitated by comparison to appropriate standards. Baseline separation of triglycerides from cholesterol esters is also achieved.     

Histochemical and thin layer chromatographic analyses of neutral lipids in Echinostoma revolutum metacercariae cultured in vitro

Excysted metacercariae of Echinostoma revolutum cultured in vitro in the defined medium, NCTC 135 supplemented with 20% hens' egg yolk, doubled their mean relative body area and showed significant sucker growth within 14 days. Histochemical Oil Red O staining showed neutral fat mainly in the excretory system of excysted metacercariae and in adults grown in the domestic chick. In vitro cultured worms showed neutral fat in the intestine, parenchyma, and excretory system. As detected by TLC the major neutral lipid fractions were free fatty acids for excysted metacercariae; free sterols for adults grown in chicks; and triglycerides, free fatty acids, and free sterols for cultured worms. Excysted metacercariae excreted free fatty acids into a nonnutrient incubation medium, whereas cultured worms excreted diglycerides, triglycerides, and free fatty acids into the medium.     

The utilization of sterols and other lipids by insect cells grown in vitro

Cells derived from Antheraea eucalypti were grown in vitro in a medium containing triglycerides, diglycerides, free fatty acids, and sterols as the main ‘neutral’ lipids. The sterol content of the medium was derived chiefly from the haemolymph component. The ‘neutral’ lipids in the cells were triglycerides, free fatty acids, and sterols. During growth over 6 days there was a quantitative balance between cholesterol and β-sitosterol gained by the cells and those sterols removed from the medium when allowance was made for losses from sterile medium. Cells metabolized more triglycerides and free fatty acids than they incorporated.     

Lipids of a T Strain of Mycoplasma

Cholesterol, free fatty acids, and phosphatidic acid are the predominant lipids of a T strain of Mycoplasma. The remaining neutral lipids are composed of cholesteryl esters, triglycerides, and diglycerides. Three glucose-containing glycolipids are present in trace amounts. In addition to phosphatidic acid, the phospholipids are comprised of phosphatidyl glycerol, diphosphatidyl glycerol, and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. Another polar lipid was found to be ninhydrin-positive and phosphate-free. It appears to be a diamino hydroxy compound containing adjacent fatty acid ester and N-acyl groups.     

The lipid composition of the non-photosynthetic diatom Nitzschia alba

The lipid composition of the non-photosynthetic marine diatom, Nitzschia alba, has been quantitatively determined. Triglycerides accounted for 20% of the cell dry weight and 87% of the total lipids. Smaller amounts of 1,2- and 1,3-diglycerides, free sterol (24-methylene cholesterol), hydrocarbons and an unknown component were the remaining neutral lipids detected. Phosphatidylsulfocholine (phosphatidyl S,S-dimethylmercaptoethanol), present in amounts of 0.8% of cell dry weight (35% of total polar lipids), was the major polar lipid component. Other phospholipids were lysophosphatidylsulfocholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and cardiolipin, but both phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were completely absent. Another novel sulfolipid, deoxyceramide sulfonic acid, as well as the sulfate ester of the free sterol, were also present. Considerable amounts of the four lipids often associated with photosynthetic organisms, mono- and di-galactosyl diglycerides, sulfoquinovosyl diglyceride and phosphatidylglycerol, were identified in N. alba. However, the fatty acid components of the glycosyl diglycerides did not show the high amounts of polyunsaturated acids (18 : 2, 18 : 3) normally found in photosynthesizing organisms. All polar lipids were found to be associated with various cell membrane fractions in N. alba.     

Monogalactosyl and digalactosyl diglycerides from heterotrophic, hetero-autotrophic, and photobiotic Euglena gracilis

The lipid of Euglena gracilis, dark-grown in a complete medium, contained 2% galactose. The lipid of Euglena gracilis, light-grown in either a complete or an inorganic medium, contained 13-14% galactose. Pure monogalactosyl and digalactosyl diglyceride fractions, isolated by column plus thin-layer chromatography, contained 50% of the lipid-bound galactose of dark-grown cells, and 80% of that of light-grown cells. Molar ratios of monogalactosyl to digalactosyl compounds ranged from 2 to 3. The results show that galactosyl diglycerides, stored in large amount in light-grown cells, persist in small amount in the dark-grown cells. Fatty acids in both the monogalactosyl and the digalactosyl diglycerides were mainly of the 16- and 18-carbon varieties, with high proportions of trienes. The monogalactosyl diglycerides were rich in hexadecatetraenoic acid. Strictly photobiotic cells had twice as much hexadecadienoic and hexadecatetraenoic acids in their monogalactosyl diglycerides, and three times as much hexadecadienoic and octadecadienoic acids in their digalactosyl diglycerides as did illuminated cells grown in a complete medium. Dark-grown (obligate) heterotrophs contained galactosyl diglycerides with high percentages of monoenes. Great compositional variations in the galactosyl diglycerides are thus induced by light and also by nonlipid exogenous metabolites.     

DNA-bound lipids from eukaryotic (loach spermatozoa, pigeon erythrocytes) and prokaryotic (E. coli B, phage T2) cells

Using thin-layer chromatography, some specific DNA-bound neutral lipids and phospholipids of loach spermatozoa, pigeon erythrocytes, E. coli B and phage T2 cells were studied. These lipids are represented by loosely and firmly bound components. The content of neutral lipids in the above DNAs (per mg of DNA) is 10.6, 4.8, 7.81 and 1.43 micrograms, respectively; that of phospholipids is 4.31, 1.28, 1.14 and 0.54 micrograms, respectively. The eucaryotic DNA-bound lipids are highly deficient of free cholesterol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine but are rich in cardiolipin, phosphatidylethanolamine, cholesterol esters, diglycerides and free fatty acids. The quantitative and qualitative composition of DNA-bound lipids of loach spermatozoa changes during the transition from the superhelical to the relaxed conformation of DNA. Procaryotic DNA-bound neutral lipids are also represented by the free cholesterol, diglyceride and free fatty acid fractions, whereas the DNA-bound phospholipids of procaryotes consist of only two fractions, i.e., cardiolipin and phosphatidylethanolamine. The role of DNA-bound lipids in the structural and functional organization of eucaryotic and procaryotic genomes is discussed.     

Structural and functional aspects of nuclear lipids in normal and tumor cells

This review summarizes available data on the structural and functional role of neutral lipids and phospholipids in normal and tumor eukaryotic cells. The role of acidic phospholipids (cardiolipin, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylglycerol) in regulation of activities of DNA- and RNA-polymerases, DNA-topoisomerases I and II, DNA-methylases, and replication initiation proteins (dnaA and T-antigen) is discussed. The role of sphingolipids is emphasized considering, on one hand, the involvement of sphingosines in signal transduction, chromatin association-dissociation, and regulation of DNA and RNA synthesis and protein kinase C and, on the other hand, participation of ceramides and dihydroceramides in apoptosis. The possible role of sphingomyelin, sphingosine, cardiolipin, and diglycerides in the contacts of DNA loops with nuclear matrix is analyzed. Lipid hormones indirectly influence supercoiled DNA conformation; the effect of hormones on metabolism of phospholipids and neutral lipids in chromatin and nuclear matrix is reviewed. Characteristics of lipid composition in chromatin and nuclear matrix of the tumor cells are discussed.     

Evidence for a Composite State of an F′his,gnd Element and a Cryptic Plasmid in a Derivative of Salmonella typhimurium LT2

The zoospores of Blastocladiella emersonii, when derived from cultures grown on solid media, contain about 11% total lipid. This lipid was separated chromatographically on silicic acid into neutral lipid (46.6%), glycolipid (15.8%), and phospholipid (37.6%). Each class was fractionated further on columns of silicic acid, Florisil, or diethylaminoethyl-cellulose, and monitored by thin-layer chromatography. Triglycerides were the major neutral lipids, mono- and diglycosyldiglycerides were the major glycolipids, and phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were the major phospholipids. Other neutral lipids and phospholipids detected were: hydrocarbons, free fatty acids, free sterols, sterol esters, diglycerides, monoglycerides, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylinositol. Palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, gamma-linolenic, and arachidonic acids were the most frequently occurring fatty acids. When B. emersonii was grown in (14)C-labeled liquid media, lipid again accounted for 11% of both mature plants and zoospores released from them. The composition of the lipid extracted from such plants and spores was also the same; however, it differed markedly from that of the lipid in spores harvested from solid media, consisting of 28.3% neutral lipid, 12.0% glycolipid, and 59.7% phospholipid. The major lipids were again triglycerides for neutral lipids, mono- and diglycosyldiglycerides for glycolipids, and phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidylethanolamine for phospholipids.     

Molecular species analysis of mitogen-stimulated 1,2-diglycerides in fibroblasts. Comparison of alpha-thrombin, epidermal growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor

Recent studies have implicated the hydrolysis of phosphoinositides and phosphatidylcholine in agonist-stimulated events. The potent mitogen, alpha-thrombin, stimulates the generation of diglycerides in a biphasic and sustained manner in IIC9 fibroblasts (Wright, T. M., Rangan, L. A., Shin, H. S., and Raben, D. M. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 9374-9380). Using measurements of radiolabeled headgroup release and molecular species analysis, we previously determined that alpha-thrombin generates diglycerides through the hydrolysis of both the phosphoinositides and phosphatidylcholine at early times (15 s), and at later times (greater than or equal to 5 min) through the hydrolysis of primarily, if not exclusively, phosphatidylcholine (Pessin, M. S., and Raben, D. M. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 8729-8738). In contrast, IIC9 fibroblasts respond to the mitogenic treatments of (a) alpha-thrombin following chymotrypsin pretreatment or (b) epidermal growth factor by increasing their levels of diglycerides in a monophasic and sustained manner (Wright, T. M., Rangan, L. A., Shin, H. S., and Raben, D. M. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 9374-9380). In this report, we have analyzed the molecular species of the diglycerides generated by these two different treatments and have also examined the lipid response of IIC9 fibroblasts to platelet-derived growth factor. Based on both the molecular species analyses and the release of radiolabeled head-groups, all three of these different mitogenic treatments generate diglycerides primarily through the stimulation of phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis. However, while similar, the molecular species profiles of the diglycerides generated by these three treatments are not identical to the molecular species profile of total cellular phosphatidylcholine. In addition, the molecular species profiles of the diglycerides generated by these three mitogenic treatments greatly resemble each other, with significant differences between any two profiles occurring in at most one molecular species. This finding differs from that seen with alpha-thrombin stimulation alone, where the molecular species profile of the diglycerides generated following 5 min of alpha-thrombin stimulation is nearly identical to the molecular species profile of total cellular phosphatidylcholine. These data support the possibility of hormone-sensitive phosphatidylcholine pools or selective diglyceride metabolism.     

Heptose-containing pentaglycosyl diglyceride among the lipids of Acholeplasma modicum

A pentaglycosyl diglyceride with the tentative structure of galactosyl-galactosyl-mannoheptosyl-glucosyl-glucosyl diglyceride was found to be the major glycolipid in Acholeplasma modicum. The heptose is d-glycero-d-mannoheputose. The diglyceride-terminating moiety possesses the structure O-alpha-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-O-alpha-d-glucopyranosyl-sn-1,2-diglyceride. Other glycolipids occurring in this organism are a diglucosyl diglyceride and a monoglucosyl diglyceride with structures identical to the terminal segments of the pentaglycosyl diglyceride. More fully acylated derivatives of these two glycolipids also occur. The phospholipids are all of the glycerophosphoryl type. The neutral lipids are composed of diglycerides and four polyterpenes. The polyterpenes consist of both colored and colorless carotenoids and become radiolabeled with both [(14)C]acetate and [(14)C]mevalonate.     

Biosynthesis of mitochondrial phospholipids using endogenously generated diglycerides.

When isolated mitochondria or microsomes from rat liver were treated with phospholipase C, the incorporation of radioactive phospholipid precursors was markedly enhanced, presumably as a result of production of diglycerides by hydrolysis of endogenous phospholipids. Incorporation of CDP[14C]choline into lecithin in rat liver or BHK-21 mitochondria could be attributed to residual contamination from elements of the endoplasmic reticulum, with added diglycerides or with endogenous diglycerides produced by the phospholipase C treatment. A similar stimulation of [gamma32P]ATP incorporation into phospholipids was observed with exogenous or endogenous diglycerides, but the mitochondrial diglyceride kinase in either case was also related to the degree of microsomal contaminants. It was concluded that previous studies showing negligible capacity of mitochondria for lecithin biosynthesis de novo were not explainable on the basis of limited accessibility of added diglycerides, and that formation of phosphatidic acid by diglyceride kinase was not of significance in rat liver mitochondria.