Monounsaturated Fatty Acids in Blood Cell Membranes from Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether blood cell membrane monounsaturated fatty acids were associated with inflammation and disease outcome in patients with multiple sclerosis. The fatty acid composition in peripheral blood mononuclear cell and red blood cell membranes from 26 patients and 25 controls were determined by gas chromatography. Results showed positive associations between C-reactive protein and C16:1n-7, C18:1n-7, and C24:1n-9 in membranes from controls only. In general, C18:1n-9 and C20:1n-9 showed inverse correlations, while C16:1n-7 and C18:1n-7 showed positive correlations with disease outcome. Multiple sclerosis has a known inflammatory component. There is scarcity of literature on the role of monounsaturated fatty acids in inflammation, but results from this study suggested an association in healthy subjects between monounsaturated fatty acids and C-reactive protein, even at physiologically low levels. This association was not found in the plasma from patients. Furthermore, the n-9 and n-7 fatty acids played different roles in disease outcome, and therefore warrant inclusion, together with polyunsaturated fatty acids when investigating the inflammatory aspects of the disease.

Gas Chromatography Results Interpretation: Absolute Amounts Versus Relative Percentages

“…Similar to results for that of plasma PC fatty acids, it showed a weak association with PC C20:3n-6 quantified in relative percentages in red blood cells from controls and a strong association in red blood cells from patients. Also, similar to results for that of plasma PC fatty acids, the C-reactive protein showed a positive association with PC C16:1n-7 quantified in relative percentages in red blood cells from controls and an inverse association with PC C18:1n-9 in red blood cells from patients, but this inverse correlation was also found in red blood cells from controls (Hon et al, 2010). Table 3.…”

“…The C-reactive protein showed a positive association with PC C16:1n-7 (Hon et al, 2010) quantified in absolute amounts in the red blood cells from controls and a positive association with PC C20:3n-6 in red blood cells from patients. Similar to results for that of plasma PC fatty acids, it showed a weak association with PC C20:3n-6 quantified in relative percentages in red blood cells from controls and a strong association in red blood cells from patients.…”

“…It showed positive associations with PC C22:5n-6, PC C16:1n-7 (Hon et al, 2010) and PC C18:1n-7 (Hon et al, 2010) quantified in both absolute amounts and relative percentages in peripheral blood mononuclear cell membranes from controls, while only PC C18:1n-7 quantified in relative percentages showed a positive association in peripheral blood mononuclear cell membranes from patients. It also showed an inverse association with PC C18:1n-9 quantified in relative percentages in peripheral blood mononuclear cell membranes from controls, in contrast to results in plasma and red blood cells where this association was found in patients.…”

“…Furthermore, the C-reactive protein showed positive associations with PC C16:1n-7 quantified in relative percentages in plasma from controls and with PC C16:1n-7 quantified in both absolute amounts (Hon et al, 2010) and relative percentages in both red blood cell and peripheral blood mononuclear cell membranes from controls (Table 3). In contrast, it showed no association with PC C16:1n-7 in any of these blood compartments from patients.…”

“…Association studies between C-reactive protein and PC fatty acids in plasma, red blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cell membranes. * Results: Hon et al (2010) …”