High performance thin-layer chromatography and densitometry of synaptic plasma membrane lipids

Previously, it has been shown that phospholipids, cholesterol, and glycolipids could be quantitated using the same high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method. Here we examined that method in terms of linearity of standards in the nanogram range, recovery of nonacidic and acidic lipids after Sephadex column chromatography, and quantitation of lipids in mouse synaptic plasma membranes (SPM) where lipid content is low. Nonacidic and acidic fractions were separated by Sephadex column chromatography, applied to plates using contact spotting, chromatographed, visualized with cupric acetate, and quantitated using in situ densitometry. Recovery of nonacidic and acidic fractions off the columns was determined with radiolabeled phospholipids. Standards for each lipid class were linear in the nanogram range. Quantitation of SPM lipid classes could be made with as little as 1.5 micrograms of total lipid. Recovery of the nonacidic fraction after Sephadex column chromatography was approximately 100% whereas the acidic fraction was approximately 91%. Phospholipids, cholesterol, and glycolipids could be determined in nanogram amounts using the same method. This method is an efficient method for examining different lipid classes and in samples where lipid content is low.