HPLC AND LIGHT-SCATTERING DETECTION ALLOW THE DETERMINATION OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES AND THE ASSAY OF PHOSPHOLIPASE A(2)

Some applications to biological samples of a method for the separation and the quantitative analysis of phospholipids by high performance li quid chromatography (HPLC) and light scattering mass detection are des cribed. Results obtained in the determination of phospholipid classes from rat tissues such as liver, heart and kidney have been compared wi th data from the literature. The method has been applied to the evalua tion of phospholipids in human low-density lipoproteins (LDL), about w hich little is known. The procedure is also suitable for a rapid and r eliable assay of the water-soluble phospholipase Az activity; the rela tionship between the aggregation state of substrate phospholipids (mix ed micelles, multilamellar and unilamellar vesicles) and the enzyme ac tivity has been studied.