Alterations in erythrocyte membrane lipids in abetalipoproteinemia: phospholipid and fatty acyl composition

Abstract

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.