Immune cell membrane fatty acids and inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein, in patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Measurement of fatty acids in biological fluids and cell membranes including leucocytes from multiple sclerosis patients is inconsistent. The objective of the present study was to investigate the fatty acid composition within the different membrane phospholipid fractions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in multiple sclerosis patients, and correlate with severity of neurological outcome as measured by the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale and Functional System Scores. The fatty acid composition of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, sphingomyelin and phosphatidylinositol phospholipids in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of twenty-six multiple sclerosis and twenty-five control subjects were measured by GC, and C-reactive protein was measured in all subjects. The elongation product of 20 : 4n-6, 22 : 4n-6, was significantly decreased in membrane phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine in multiple sclerosis patients (P = 0·01 and P = 0·03 respectively), and correlated inversely with severity of disease and C-reactive protein. Also an inverse correlation was observed between the C-reactive protein and membrane phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine 20 : 4n-6. Cultural and ethnic differences, as well as dietary variability, especially in a diseased state have been implicated in the differences observed in the fatty acid composition in peripheral blood mononuclear cell membranes of patients with multiple sclerosis. The present results suggest that the disease state may in part explain the reported inconsistencies in fatty acid levels in multiple sclerosis patients.

Gas Chromatography Results Interpretation: Absolute Amounts Versus Relative Percentages

“…Impaired fatty acid metabolism has been implied in a number of diseased states such as multiple sclerosis, sudden cardiac death, insulin resistance, atherosclerosis and hypertension (Blaak, 2003;Oram & Bornfeldt, 2004;Pilz et al, 2007;Sarafidis & Bakris, 2007;Hon et al, 2009aHon et al, , 2009b. The fatty acid status may be assessed in plasma, platelets, red blood cells, white blood cells and brain tissue (Zamaria, 2004, Hon et al, 2009a.…”

“…Reports on fatty acid composition in blood and brain tissue from patients with multiple sclerosis may vary substantially (Harbige & Sharief, 2007;Hon et al, 2009aHon et al, , 2009b. Cultural and ethnic differences as well as dietary variability have been implicated in these differences (Harbige & Sharief, 2007).…”

“…C-reactive protein is a recognised marker of inflammation and has been shown to correlate with infectious episodes and clinical relapses in patients with multiple sclerosis (Giovannoni et al, 1996;Giovannoni et al, 2001;Sellner et al, 2008). Thinlayer chromatography and gas chromatography were used for the extraction and separation of lipid classes and quantification of fatty acids in plasma, red blood cell and peripheral blood mononuclear cell membranes from control subjects and patients with multiple sclerosis (Folch et al, 1957;Gilfillan et al, 1983;Van Jaarsveld et al, 2000;Hon et al, 2009b;Hon et al, 2011a).…”

“…Solvent mixtures and thin-layer chromatography was used for the extraction and separation of fatty acids respectively, with further conversion to fatty acid methyl esters for quantification by gas chromatography as described by Folch et al (1957), Gilfillan et al (1983), Van Jaarsveld et al (2000), Hon et al (2009b), Hon et al (2011a). The following sections summarises the methodology used for quantification of the fatty acids in human tissue, plasma, red blood cell and peripheral blood mononuclear cell membranes.…”

“…The plasma, red blood cell and peripheral blood mononuclear cell membrane lipids were extracted according to a modified method of Folch et al (1957), Van Jaarsveld et al (2000), and described in Hon et al (2009b), Hon et al (2011a). All the extraction solvents were of high-performance liquid chromatography-grade and contained 0.01 % butylated hydroxytoluene (Sigma-Aldrich, Cape Town, South Africa) as an antioxidant.…”