THE FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF HUMAN GLIOMAS DIFFERS FROM THAT FOUND IN NONMALIGNANT BRAIN-TISSUE

To compare the fatty acid composition of tumor tissue from glioma pati ents with that of normal brain tissue, tissue samples were obtained fr om 13 glioma patients and from 3 nonmalignant patients. Following lipi d extraction, total fatty acid composition was measured using gas-liqu id chromatography. Samples were further separated into phospholipids a nd neutral lipids. Representative samples were then separated into pho spholipid classes by thin-layer chromatography and the fatty acid comp osition assayed. Levels of the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) docos ahexaenoic acid (DHA), were significantly reduced (P = 0.029) in the g lioma samples compared with normal brain samples; mean values were 4.8 +/- 2.9% and 9.2 +/- 1.0%, respectively. This reduction in glioma DHA content was also observed in terms of phospholipids (4.6 +/- 2.1% vs. 9.6 +/- 0.8%, P = 0.002). The phosphatidylserine and phosphatidyletha nolamine phospholipid classes were reduced in the glioma samples. Diff erences were also noted in the n-6 PUFA content between glioma and nor mal brain samples. The glioma content of the n-6 PUFA linoleic acid wa s significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that observed in the control s amples in terms of total lipids. Thus, the fatty acid composition of h uman gliomas differs from that found in nonmalignant brain tissue.