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PELIZAEUS‐MERZBACHER DISEASE: BRAIN LIPID AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION
Author(s) -
Bourre J. M.,
Bornhofen J. H.,
Araoz C. A.,
Daudu O.,
Baumann N. A.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1978.tb10777.x
Subject(s) - sphingomyelin , sphingolipid , myelin , leukodystrophy , fatty acid , biochemistry , chemistry , ceramide , cerebroside , composition (language) , biology , cholesterol , endocrinology , medicine , central nervous system , disease , apoptosis , linguistics , philosophy
— Biochemical analysis of the leukodystrophy brain from a case of Pelizaeus‐Merzbacher disease, classical type, was performed. A decrease in the amount of solid material present was found. The lyophilized brain weight was reduced to 76% of normal with a slightly greater decrease in the amount of extractable lipid. Total myelin was diminished to 7% of normal. Among specific lipids plasmalogens were present in slightly lowered amounts. Cerebrosides and sulphatides were drastically reduced to 8% of normal, whereas sphingomyelin was less severely affected. Fatty acids from phospholipids were close to normal, only enols being slightly diminished. Analysis of pure cerebrosides and sulphatides revealed that the a‐hydroxylated compounds as well as very long chain fatty acids (over C 18 , especially C 23 to C 26 ) were greatly reduced. For chain lengths over C 18 , the ratio of leukodystrophy fatty acid to normal fatty acid was close to 10%. The defect in very long chain fatty acids is estimated at 99.2% in total brain. Thus, we have found a marked decrease in the amount of very long chain fatty acids and a less marked decrease in sphingolipids. The reduced amount of these acids appears to be partially offset by an increase in the amount of medium‐chain fatty acids in sphingolipids. We conclude that one aspect of Pelizaeus‐Merzbacher disease may be a defect in the synthesis of myelin very long chain fatty acids (as these acids are far much reduced than any other myelin molecule).