DETERMINATION OF CHOLESTERYL 14-METHYLHEXADECANOATE IN BLOOD-SERUM BYREVERSED-PHASE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A simple reversed-phase HPLC method has been developed for the determi nation of cholesteryl 14-methylhexadecanoate (CMH) in the blood serum. Lipids are extracted from 0.1 ml of blood serum and after centrifugat ion, the extract is chromatographed and individual cholesteryl esters, including CMH are separated and eluted with an acetonitrile-2-propano l mixture. The quantification of cholesteryl 14-methylhexadecanoate is precise and highly reproducible and the analysis may be completed wit hin 35 min. The level of CMH in the blood of cancer patients appears t o be a useful marker of malignant tumors.