Plasmalogen levels in serum from patients with impaired carbohydrate or lipid metabolism and in elderly subjects with normal metabolic values

The precise role played by plasmalogen phospholipids (PL) of lipoproteins a nd cell membranes is not well understood. However, they might act as endoge nous antioxidants in defending cell membranes and lipoproteins from reactiv e oxygen species. A decline of plasmalogen concentrations has been observed in some tissues in normal aging and in some pathologic conditions. For hea lthy adults, we had reported negative correlations of age with serum plasma logen PL derived heaxadecanal dimethylacetal (16:0DMA) or octadecanal dimet hylacetal (18:0DMA) values. To mark off these age associated changes from d isturbances in glucose or lipid metabolism, this study compares the 16:0DMA and 18:0DMA data of serum PL from 118 elderly subjects, aged 57-94 years, and grouped according to the disturbance of glucose or lipid metabolism. Us ing a new synthetic test mixture of 16:0DMA with oleic acid butylester as a quality control in gas chromatography, the highest 16:0DMA values were fou nd in hypercholestrolemic subjects. However, related to the bulk of serum F L, were the plasmalogens possibly act as antioxidants, the highest values o f 16:0DMA/PL were found in controls. A negative correlation of serum trigly cerides (TG) with 16:0DMA was detected (n = 118). The data suggest a closer association of low DMA values with elevated TG levels as compared to eleva ted plasma glucose or other serum lipid levels. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science I reland Ltd. All rights reserved.