LIPID-COMPOSITION OF NIPPLE DISCHARGES OF WOMEN WITH GALACTORRHEA

The biochemical nature of nipple discharge, including galactorrhea, an d the physiology of lactation in patients with nipple discharge have n ot been studied extensively. Studies of the composition of nipple disc harges may provide further insight into the complex processes involved in their secretion. In this study we compared the lipid composition o f nipple discharges from patients with galactorrhea with that of human colostrum. The diagnosis of galactorrhea was confirmed by the presenc e of casein, detected by the anti-casein radial immunodiffusion test. Triglyceride, cholesterol and phospholipid levels in the nipple discha rge samples were quite high compared with the colostrum samples. The p roportion of 6:0 and 22:1 fatty acids was lower in the discharge sampl es and the proportion of 18:2 and 20:4 fatty acids was higher. Levels of phospholipid and neutral lipids, determined by quantitative densito metry in situ after separation by thin layer chromatography, also vari ed between discharge and colostrum, with a higher level of free fatty acids and triglyceride fractions in the nipple discharge. The lipoprot ein electrophoretic bands of the nipple discharge samples resembled se rum lipoprotein bands while colostrum samples gave no bands on electro phoresis.