Lipids of human leukocytes: relation to celltype

Significant differences in lipid composition have been found between normal human lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (isolated from blood by means of glass-bead columns), abnormal leukocytes from patients with acute and chronic leukemia, and leukocytes from peritoneal exudates. Lipid extracts of isolated leukocytes were analyzed for total lipid, phosphorus, cholesterol, and plasmalogens. Individual phospholipids and neutral lipids were separated by thin-layer chromatography. The major phospholipids were phosphatidyl choline, ethanolamine glycerophosphatides, sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl serine, and phosphatidyl inositol. Plasmalogen was found mainly as phosphatidal ethanolamine. The neutral lipid fractions contained free cholesterol and various amounts of triglyceride, but little esterified cholesterol. Normal lymphocytes contained about half as much total lipid per cell as normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes, with a similar cholesterol:-lipid-P ratio but relatively more lecithin and less ethanolamine glycerophosphatide. Normal mature leukocytes, compared with immature cells of the same morphological series, had a higher total lipid content per cell, more cholesterol, and a higher ratio of cholesterol to lipid-P. Little difference was found in total lipid-P per cell, but mature cells contained relatively less lecithin and more sphingomyelin. These findings may reflect differences in the relative content of various intracellular organelles as well as possible differences in the quantity and composition of the plasma membrane.     

The effect of gamma irradiation at sub- and supralethal doses on the lipid composition of the mucosa and of the brush border membrane of the small intestine in rats]

A study was made of the amount of cholesterol and its ethers (phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl serine, and phosphatidyl inositol) in mucosa and membrane of the small intestine brush border 24 h after 4 Gy and 2 h after 20 Gy irradiation. No changes in the lipid content of mucosa and membrane of the brush border were noted after 4 Gy irradiation. Exposure to 20 Gy radiation doubled the number of cholesterol ethers and made the number of individual phospholipids and cholesterol increase by nearly 1.5 times. The amount of phosphatidyl serine in the brush border membrane increased by almost 3 times; the concentration of other lipids increased by nearly 1.5 times; cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was unchangeable.     

Lipid composition of the fishes Heterotis niloticus,Brycenus nurse,Gnathonemus cyprinoides and Sarotherodon galilaeus from a small lake in Nigeria

Lipid composition of Heterotis niloticus, Brycenus nurse, Gnathonemus cyprinoides and Sarotherodon galilaeus, which vary in scale thickness, were studied. Heterotis niloticus (very thick scales) had the lowest lipid content (13%), while G. cyprinoids (light scales) had the highest lipid content (26%). The common neutral lipids were cholesterol, free fatty acids and cholesterol esters, while diphosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl glycerol and phosphatidyl ethanolamine were the most predominant phospholipids.     

The Electrical Capacitance of Phospholipid Membranes

As one of the methods of finding out the structural change of lipid bilayers due to change of environmental solution, the capacitances of phosphatidyl choline (egg lecithin) and phosphatidyl serine (bovine brain) bilayer membranes in solutions of various pH and salt contents were measured. It was found that the capacitance of the bilayer depended upon pH and salt content. The capacitance had a minimum value around pH 4 for phosphatidyl choline and around pH 3-4 for phosphatidyl serine bilayers, respectively. The value of the capacitance increased as the pH of the solution became lower or higher. As the concentration of cholesterol in the phosphatidyl choline bilayer increased, the capacitance increased and reached a saturation value. A DC voltage across the phosphatidyl choline bilayer did not affect the value of the capacitance practically.     

Characteristics of lipid composition and properties of the synaptic membranes of the cerebral cortex of rats of various ages

The content of cholesterol, total and individual phospholipids, fatty acid composition, level of lipid peroxidation, as well as viscosity of lipid phase of synaptic membranes isolated from the cerebral cortex were estimated in experiments on adult and old male rats. The content of cholesterol and cholesterol phospholipids ratio were found to increase with age. The total content of phospholipids remained unchanged during ageing, while their composition varied. An increase in the content of minor forms of phospholipids, i.e. phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol, in the sphingomyelin/phosphatidyl ethanolamine ratio and, especially, in the content of lysophosphatidylcholine was found in old vs adult rats. No age-related changes were found in the viscosity of the lipid phase of synaptic membranes with purene used as a fluorescent probe.     

CHANGES IN CEREBRAL CORTICAL LIPIDS IN COBALT-INDUCED EPILEPSY

Abstract– In control rats and in rats rendered epileptic by insertion of cobalt slivers into the cerebral cortex, total free fatty acids, free cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids were measured in normal and lesion areas of cerebral cortex. The cortical lipid profile of the adult rat resembled that of the whole brain of very young rats rather than that of adult whole brain, with the principal differences from whole adult brain being lower total lipid content, increased proportions of phosphatidyl choline in the phospholipid fraction, and higher levels of cholesterol esters. Cobalt-induced epilepsy was associated with significant changes in cerebral cortical lipids in the area of the lesion and in the non-necrotic tissue adjacent to the lesion. The total lipid in the area of the lesion decreased sharply as a result of reductions in free cholesterol and total phospholipids. The levels of cholesterol esters and triglycerides increased in the area of the lesion, and cholesterol esters were also increased in the adjacent tissue. In addition there were decreases in the proportion of phosphatidyl ethanolamine in the phospholipids from the lesion site and adjacent tissue and decreases in the proportions of oleic, arachidonic and nervonic acids (unsaturated acids), and an increase in the proportions of lignoceric acid in the phospholipids. In the site of the lesion only, we observed a decrease in phospholipid palmitic acid and an appreciable increase in the proportions of an unidentified long-chained fatty acid.     

Lipids from nerve tissues of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus.

1. The predominant lipids of nerve cords, ganglion and brain from horseshoe crabs were cholesterol (11% of lipid) and phospholipid (81% of lipid). 2. Major phospholipids were phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl choline with lesser amounts of phosphatidyl serine and phosphatidyl inositol and sphingomyelin. 3. The phospholipid fraction was characterized by a high content of plasmalogen, i.e. alk-1-enyl acyl phosphatides, so that 42% of the ethanolamine phosphatides were the plasmalogen, phosphatidal ethanolamine. 4. Phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine were high in polyunsaturation with 20:4 and 20:5 major fatty acids. Sphingomyelin had predominantly long chain saturated fatty acids. 5. Cerebrosides and gangliosides, which are associated with vertebrate nerve tissues, were absent from nerves of horseshoe crabs.     

The molecular organization of nerve membranes

Summary The lipid content and composition from an axolemma-rich preparation isolated from squid retinal axons was analyzed.The lipids, which accounted for 45.5% of the dry weight of this membrane, were composed of 22% cholesterol, 66.7% phospholipids and 5.2% free fatty acids. The negatively charged species phosphatidyl ethanolamine (37%), phosphatidyl serine (10%) and lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine (4%) made up 51% of the phospholipids. The amphoteric phosphatidyl choline and sphingomyelin accounted for 39% and 4%, respectively.The relative distribution of fatty acids in each of the isolated phospholipids was studied. The most remarkable feature of these phospholipids was the large proportion of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. The 226 acyl chain accounted for 37% in phosphatidyl ethanolamine, 21.7% in phosphatidyl choline, 17.5% on phosphatidyl serine and 20.3% in sphingomyelin (all expressed as area %).The molar fraction of unsaturated fatty acids reached 65% in phosphatidyl ethanolamine and 42.0 and 44.8% in phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl serine, respectively. The double bond index in these species varied between 1.0 and 2.6.The lipid composition of the axolemma-rich preparation isolated from squid retinal axons appears to be similar to other excitable plasma membranes in two important features: (a) a low cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio of 0.61; and (b) the polyunsaturated nature of the fatty acid of their phospholipids.This particular chemical composition may contribute a great deal to the molecular unstability of excitable membranes.The preceding papers of this series were published inArchives of Biochemistry and Biophysics.     

Lipid Composition of Neuronal Cell Bodies and Neurites from Cultured Dorsal Root Ganglia

Abstract: The lipid composition of neuronal somata and neuritic processes of cultured root ganglia has been determined. Neuronal soma contained 37% of dry weight as lipid (15.4% cholesterol, 4.8% galactolipid, and 57.1% phospholipid). The major phospholipids were phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. Galactolipids consisted of cerebroside and sulfatide in molar ratio 2:1. The neuronal soma contained tetrasialo-, disialo-, and monosialoganglioside. In contrast, neurites contained 15% of the dry weight as lipid (22.1% cholesterol, 7.7% galactolipid with cerebroside and sulfatide in molar ratio 2:1, and 56.4% total phospholipid). The neuritic galactolipid content was higher, as was the percentage of sphingomyelin, and phosphatidyl serine. The higher cholesterol content in neuritic lipid reflected the higher percentage of plasma membrane in this compartment. The ganglioside pattern of neurites was distinct from that of the neuronal soma and consisted entirely of gangliosides GQ1b, GT1b, GD1b, GD1a, and GD3, with no monosialogangliosides. The results indicate a preferential phospholipid and glycolipid sorting to the neuritic plasma membrane that may be related to the distinctive functions of this neuronal compartment.     

Characterization of gastric mucosal membranes: lipid composition of purified gastric microsomes from pig, rabbit, and frog

The lipid compositions of the gradient-purified gastric microsomal membranes from the fundic mucosa of pig, rabbit, and frog were determined. The total lipid content varied widely. Compared to the rabbit (21.6 ± 0.6 mg/100 mg protein), the pig had about twice as much and the frog about three times as much lipid. The levels of cholesterol were higher in both mammalian species (about 32% of the lipid) compared to frog (23%). Phospholipids accounted for about 45, 54, and 52% of the total microsomal lipids from pig, rabbit, and frog and the molar ratios of cholesterol to phospholipid in the three species were 1.95, 1.6, and 1.17, respectively. Phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine together constituted about 75% of the total phospholipids in pig and frog and 93% in rabbit gastric microsomes. Sphingomyelin comprised 19.3, 3.2, and 1.5% in pig, rabbit, and frog, respectively. Phosphatidyl inositol constituted 5, 2.7, and 23.6% in pig, rabbit, and frog, respectively. The ratios of phosphatidyl ethanolamine to phosphatidyl choline were 1.17, 1.1, and 0.85 in pig, rabbit, and frog, respectively. The saturated fatty acids 16:0 and 18:0 and the unsaturated fatty acid 18:1 and 18:2 were the predominant fatty acids in all phospholipids. The ratios of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids were between 0.8 and 0.9 in phosphatidyl choline and 0.27 and 0.5 in phosphatidyl ethanolamine from all three species. The contributions by saturated fatty acids were much more in phosphatidyl inositol and sphingomyelin than in phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine from all species. Position 1 of phosphatidyl choline had 63% saturated and 37% unsaturated fatty acids; while the reverse was true for position 2. Phosphatidyl ethanolamine, however, had 85% saturated fatty acids in position 1 compared to only 25% in position 2. Arachidonic acid (20:4) was present in significant amounts in all species located exclusively at position 2 of both phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine.     

Content of lipids and their fractions in erythrocyte membranes of rats with Guerin's carcinoma, A-avitaminosis and the effect of vitamin A in significant doses

The content of lipids in rat erythrocyte membranes was studied with vitamin A deficiency, Guerin's carcinoma and with administration of significant doses of vitamin A. It is found that vitamin A deficiency decreases the content of phospholipid fractions: phosphatidyl ethanolamine, sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl serine. The content of phosphatidyl choline is unchanged. Under conditions of the experiment the content of cholesterol decreases. This dependence is lost when calculating per 1 g of protein. In erythrocytes of rats with Guerin's carcinoma the content of lipids increases. The character of the results is unchanged when calculating per 1 mg of protein. When administering 200.000 IU of vitamin A the content of the phospholipid and free cholesterol identified fractions lowers significantly.     

Lipids in the laminated layer of liver, lung and daughter hydatid cysts of equine Echinococcus granulosus (Cestoda)

Lipids extracted from the laminated layers of horse liver and lung hydatids, including a daughter liver cyst, were analysed using TLC. No differences in lipid composition was detected in 11 liver cysts, whether from the same or different livers, and di- and triacylglycerols, cholesterol, wax and steryl esters, oleic acid, sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl inositol and ceramide hexosides were detected. The daughter cyst differed from its "parent" cyst in lacking diacylglycerols and wax and steryl esters. The lung cyst differed from the liver cysts in that cholesterol, wax and steryl esters and diacylglycerols were not detected.     

Lipids in alfalfa leaves in relation to cold hardiness

The lipid composition of the leaves of hardy Vernal and cold-sensitive Caliverde alfalfa plants, grown at different temperatures, was determined. Phosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl inositol, and the sulfolipid content were directly related to growth temperature. Mono- and digalactose diglyceride and phosphatidyl choline and ethanolamine were inversely related to temperature. At corresponding growth temperatures Vernal plants showed higher percentages of mono- and digalactose diglyceride and phosphatidyl choline and ethanolamine than Caliverde plants, while the opposite was true for phosphatidyl glycerol and inositol and sulfolipid. Differences in fatty acid composition of corresponding leaf lipid fractions of plants grown at different temperatures or differences in fatty acid composition between lipid fractions of plants of different varieties in general were negligible.     

Electrical conductivity in lipid bilayer membranes induced by pentachlorophenol.

Electrical conductivity induced in thin lipid bilayer membranes by pentachlorophenol has been studied. The membranes were formed from phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, or phosphatidyl glycerol and various amounts of cholesterol. The position and the magnitude of the maximum of the conductivity vs. pH curve depend on the type of lipids and cholesterol content. At low pentachlorophenol concentrations and low pH the concentration dependence of conductivity is quadratic and becomes linear at higher pH. Above 10(-5) M of pentachlorophenol the concentration dependence of the membrane conductivity tends to saturate. Presence of pentachlorophenol enhances membrane transport of nonactin-K+ complex. Increase of cholesterol content increases pentachlorophenol induced conductivity in all membranes and shifts the conductivity toward lower pH. For phosphatidyl choline the largest rate of change of membrane conductivity with cholesterol occurs at 1:1 phospholipid to cholesterol molar ratio. Pentachlorophenol is found to be a class II uncoupler and the experimental results are consistent with the hypothesis that the membrane permeable species are dimers formed by combination of neutral and dissociated pentachlorophenol molecules. Several schemes of membrane conduction, including dimer formation in the aqueous phase as well as at the membrane-water interface have been considered. Arguments are given in favor of the formation of dimers within the membrane surface.     

LIPID COMPOSITION OF HUMAN, BOVINE AND SHEEP PINEAL GLANDS

Abstract— —The lipid composition of human, bovine and sheep pineal glands was determined. No characteristic species difference was found in lipid content and composition. The total lipid was 2·9–4·0 per cent of wet weight of which phospholipid comprised 58–71 per cent and cholesterol 13·9–15·8 per cent in the three species. The phospholipid composition was 45 per cent phosphatidyl choline, 22 per cent phosphatidyl ethanolamine, 14 per cent sphingomyelin, 9 per cent phosphatidyl serine, 8 per cent monophosphoinositide, and 2 per cent diphosphatidyl glycerol. The major fatty acids found were C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, C16:1, and C18:1. In contrast to other tissues, pineal sphingomyelin has a low C24:1 content. No significant amounts of polyphosphoinositides or gangliosides were detected. When its lipid composition is compared with that of a number of other tissues, pineal is found to be most similar to testes and unlike pituitary and brain.     

The induction of liposome aggregation by myelin basic protein

Myelin basic protein derived from bovine spinal cord has been interacted with liposomes of varying brain lipid compositions. The effects of salt and protein concentration on liposome cross linking has been investigated. It appears that myelin basic protein cannot link liposomes composed of brain-derived phosphatidyl choline. Myelin basic protein can link liposomes composed of phosphatidyl serine; phosphatidyl serine + cholesterol; phosphatidyl serine + cholesterol + cerebroside sulphate. Linking of liposomes occurs at protein concentrations lower than those required for myelin basic protein dimers to be formed. Therefore, it seems that the monomeric form of myelin basic protein links lipid bilayers. The presence of cholesterol in the bilayer increases the ability of myelin basic protein to aggregate such liposomes compared with the linking ability of the polycationic polypeptide, poly-l-lysine.     

A comparison of the Baker acid Haematein staining of selected regions of rat hypothalamus with the fatty acid composition of their phosphatidyl choline content and their polar lipid fraction as determined by gas liquid chromatography

Synopsis Application of Baker's acid Haematein test for the histochemical detection of phospholipids to rat hypothalamus reveals striking colour differences between white and grey matter. It was found previously that these differences could not be attributed to corresponding differences in the acid Haematein-positive lipid content in various regions of the hypothalamus. As the staining reaction might depend on the degree of unsaturation of lipids, the fatty acid compositions of phosphatidyl choline and the polar lipid fraction from the optic chiasma and some regions of rat hypothalamus were investigated.The polar lipid fraction of the optic chiasma contained relatively more mono-unsaturated and less saturated fatty acids than the polar lipid fractions from the area anterior, and the suprnoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus. The same trend was observed for the fatty acid composition of phosphatidyl choline isolated from these regions. Both the polar lipid fraction and phosphatidyl choline showed a lower content of poly-unsaturated fatty acids in the optic chiasma than in the area anterior. It is argued that the colour differences between myclinated and unmyelinated regions of the hypothalamus demonstrable after application of Baker's acid Haematein test cannot be ascribed merely to corresponding differences in the amounts of unsaturated lipids in these regions. According to the author the particular structure of myelin might be held responsible for the stronger staining of white matter compared with grey matter.     

Effects of prolactin and androgens on seminal vesicular lipids of castrated mature bonnet monkeys Macaca radiata

Effects of prolactin (PRL), bromocriptine (Br), testosterone propionate (TP), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and the combination of these androgens with PRL/Br on the total lipid, total cholesterol, total glyceride glycerols, total phospholipid and their fractions in seminal vesicles of castrated mature monkeys were studied. Glyceride glycerols formed the major portion (50%) of total lipids in normal monkeys. Cholesterol and phospholipids were of equal share (25%). Esterified cholesterol formed major share (75%) of total cholesterol. Diacyl glycerol was the major (60%) glyceride glycerol and phosphatidyl choline and ethanolamine were the major phospholipid classes. Except triacyl glycerol castration markedly decreased all the lipid classes. PRL restored normal free and esterified cholesterol and phosphatidyl inositol but Br invariably decreased all the lipid classes. TP/DHT treatment stimulated the free and esterified cholesterol more than the control; it restored the normal glyceride glycerols. Phosphatidyl inositol, choline and ethanolamine were stimulated by androgens and other phospholipid classes were brought to normal. Addition of PRL + TP/DHT markedly increased esterified cholesterol, phosphatidyl inositol, choline, ethanolamine and phosphatidic acid. In all these aspects, Br counteracted the effects of androgens and PRL.     

Effect of prolactin on testicular lipid metabolism in pubertal rats

Prolactin administration for 7 day to pubertal rats resulted in marked depletion of total lipids, phospholipids and particularly phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. There was a concomitant increase in total cholesterol and cholesterol ester with a fall in free cholesterol. The increase in total cholesterol in the testis of prolactin-treated animals appears not to be due to its increased synthesis, as the hormonal treatment had no significant effect on HMG-Co A reductase, the rate limiting enzyme of sterol synthesis. Prolactin also had no significant effect on the enzymes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malic- and isocitrate dehydrogenases reported to generate NADPH required for active steroidogenesis. Thus, it appears that the fall observed in testicular phospholipids and free cholesterol with concurrent increases in total cholesterol and cholesterol ester after prolactin administration is not due to prolactin's effect directly on testicular lipid metabolism in pubertal rats.     

Lipid composition of Mycoplasma neurolyticum

The total lipid content of Mycoplasma neurolyticum comprises about 14% of the dry weight of the organisms and is about equally distributed between the phospholipid and the neutral-glycolipid fractions. The neutral lipids were identified as triglycerides, diglycerides, and cholesterol. The glycolipid fraction contained 1-O-beta-glucopyranosyl-d-2,3-diglyceride and 1-[O-beta-d-glycopyranosyl-(1-->6)-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl]-d-2,3-diglyceride. The latter lipid is structurally identical to the diglucosyl diglyceride which occurs in Staphylococcus aureus. The phospholipids of the organism consist of a fully acylated glycerophosphoryl-glycerophosphoryl glycerol, phosphatidic acid, diphosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl glycerol, and amino acyl esters of phosphatidyl glycerol. Phosphatidic acid and phosphatidyl glycerol account for greater than 90% of the phospholipids of organisms in the exponential phase of growth. The predominant fatty acids found in all of the acyl lipids were palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids.