The Fatty Acids of Total Lipids and Cholesterol Esters from Normal Plasma and Atheromatous Plaques1

Abstract

The fatty acids of total lipids and of cholesterol esters from pooled plasma of normal persons and from atheromatous plaques obtained from human autopsy material were analyzed by counter-current distribution, paper chromatography before and after hydrogenation, iodine value, alkali isomerization and gas-liquid chromatography. The following fatty acids were demonstrated: lauric, myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, oleic, stearic, linoleic, arachidic, arachidonic, C20 with 2 or more double bonds, C18 with probably 3 double bonds and C22 with an unknown number of double bonds. Fatty acids of unknown chain length with 5 and 6 double bonds were also present. There were no qualitative nor gross quantitative differences between the fatty acids of the total lipids of normal plasma and plaques. Linoleic acid was found to be present in somewhat higher concentration in the cholesterol esters of plasma, while oleic acid was higher in the cholesterol esters of plaques. The cholesterol esters contained higher proportions of linoleic acid than the total lipids in both normal plasma and atheromatous plaques.