Functions of plasmalogen lipids in health and disease

Abstract

Plasmalogens are a unique class of membrane glycerophospholipids containing a fatty alcohol with a vinyl-ether bond at the sn-1 position, and enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids at the sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone. These two features provide novel properties to these compounds. Although plasmalogens represent up to 20% of the total phospholipid mass in humans their physiological roles have been challenging to identify, and are likely to be particular to different tissues, metabolic processes and developmental stages. Their biosynthesis starts in peroxisomes, and defects at these steps cause the malformation syndrome, Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata (RCDP). The RCDP phenotype predicts developmental roles for plasmalogens in bone, brain, lens, lung, kidney and heart. Recent studies have revealed secondary plasmalogen deficiencies associated with more common disorders and allow us to tease out additional pathways dependent on plasmalogen functions. In this review, we present current knowledge of plasmalogen biology in health and disease.

The neurology of rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata

“…This is in agreement with the current knowledge about plasmalogen distribution and function since they are known to be abundant in gray matter where they play an active metabolic role [8,24]. We were particularly interested in the latencies of evoked potentials as a reflection of myelination, since in humans plasmalogens constitute the majority of total phospholipids in the white matter and signal abnormalities on MRI are present in patients with the severe, but not the milder phenotype of RCDP [6,8]. We found that 93% of VEP latencies were initially normal for age and that deterioration occurred in 31% of patients with both the severe and mild phenotype.…”

Dysfunctional high-density lipoproteins in coronary heart disease: implications for diagnostics and therapy

“…90 Plasmalogens are a class of glycerophospholipids with anti-oxidative properties that are present in HDL only in low amounts. 78,[97][98][99] Patients with CAD had HDL relatively depleted of the plasmalogen species PC33:3, PC35:2 and PC34:2 and with a compromised ability to inhibit apoptosis of endothelial cells. 89 The finding that incorporation of the plasmalogen PC35:2 in rHDL improved its anti-apoptotic activity towards endothelial cells further underscored the potential importance of plasmalogens for the anti-apoptotic activity of HDL.…”

The Proportion of Nervonic Acid in Serum Lipids is Associated with Serum Plasmalogen Levels and Metabolic Syndrome

“…It has been suggested that serum plasmalogen levels are associated with diverse clinical manifestations 1 . Recently, particular attention has been paid to the involvement of plasmalogens in metabolic diseases associated with oxidative stress and chronic inflammation 2 6 .…”