ABNORMALITY OF VERY LONG-CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS OF ERYTHROCYTE-MEMBRANE INALCOHOLIC PATIENTS

Profiles of very long-chain fatty acids were studied in the erythrocyt e membrane of five alcoholic patients. We identified three fatty acids as cis-16-pentacosenoic acid (C25:1), cis-17-hexacosenoic acid (C26:1 ), and hexacosenoic acid (C26:1), and hexacosanoic acid (C26:0) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The ratios of C26:1/C22:0, C26:0/C2 2:0, C24:1/C22:0, and C24:0/C22:0 were increased. These findings sugge st that active oxygen species or free radicals generated by chronic al cohol consumption in alcohol patients interupt the peroxisomal beta-ox idation of fatty acids, because very long-chain fatty acids are mainly metabolized by the peroxisomal beta-oxidation system. This is the fir st study showing accumulation of very long-chain fatty acids in the er ythrocyte membrane of alcoholic patients.