Ingestion of plasmalogen markedly increased plasmalogen levels of blood plasma in rats

Abstract

Plasmalogens, a subclass of phospholipids, are widely distributed in human and animals, and are taken into the body as food. However, no data exist on the intestinal absorption or fate of ingested plasmalogen. Here, we determined whether dietary plasmalogen is absorbed and whether blood and tissue concentrations increased in normal male Wistar rats by using four separate experiments. Phospholipids containing more than 20 wt% of plasmalogen extracted from the bovine brain were incorporated into test diets (10-15 wt%). In experiment 1, we estimated the absorption rate by measuring the plasmalogen vinyl ether bonds remaining in the alimentary tract of rats after the ingestion of 2 g of test diet containing 91 micromol plasmalogen. The absorption rate of plasmalogen was nearly 80 mol% after 4 h, comparable to the total phospholipid content in the test diet. In experiment 2, we observed no degradation of the plasmalogen vinyl ether bonds under in vitro conditions simulating those of the stomach and small intestinal lumen. In experiment 3 we confirmed a comparable absorption (36 mol%) by using a closed loop of the upper small intestine in anesthetized rats 90 min after injecting a 10 wt% brain phospholipid emulsion. Feeding a test diet containing 10 wt% brain phospholipids for 7 d increased plasmalogen concentration threefold in blood plasma and by 25% in the liver; however, no increases were seen in blood cells, skeletal muscle, brain, lungs, kidneys, or adipose tissue (experiment 4). We concluded that dietary plasmalogen is absorbed from the intestine and contributes to a large increase in plasmalogen levels in blood plasma.

Phospholipid fingerprints of milk from different mammalians determined by 31P NMR: Towards specific interest in human health

“…Moreover, plasmalogens exert antioxidant capabilities via their vinyl-ether bond (Yavin et al, 2002), and neonates who have lower erythrocyte levels of plasmalogens than older children (Labadaridis et al, 2009) could be more vulnerable to oxidative stress. As, dietary plasmalogens are absorbed by the intestine and delivered intact to tissues (Nishimukai, Wakisaka, & Hara, 2003), their intake during early life might be essential, but optimal daily consumption is not known yet. However, based on an animal study, it was estimated that the SM consumption by breast-fed infants should be from 50 to 150 mg per day for promoting gut development (Motouri et al, 2003).…”

Effect of Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid Connecting Phospholipids on the Lipid Peroxidation of the Brain in Mice

“…Vinyl ether double bonds in the plasmalogen are known to be sensitive to acid; however, Nishimura et al (34) demonstrated that dietary plasmalogen was absorbed from the intestine in rats. In the present study, the main lipid classes of the dietary phospholipid are PC and LysoPC, and the ratio of PE is low.…”

Separation and Determination of Functional Complex Lipids from Chicken Skin

“…Among glycerophospholipids, plasmalogens have been noted as an antioxidant phospholipid in vitro and in vivo [1][2][3]. Moreover, uptake of plasmalogens was speculated to prevent the lipid oxidation of vascular epithelial cells, since it was absorbed into the intestinal tract followed by a large increase in the plasmalogen level in blood plasma [4]. However, a source of plasmalogen is not readily available.…”