Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 11, 54-59, January 1970
Copyright © 1970 by Lipid Research, Inc.
Composition of human serum sphingomyelins
E. L. Hirvisalo and O. Renkonen
Wihuri Research Institute, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Serum sphingomyelins were analyzed by argentation chromatography of the corresponding ceramide diacetates. Six subfractions were obtained. Three of them contained 4-sphingenines in combination with saturated, trans-, or cis-monoenoic fatty acids; the remaining three contained sphingadienine, also in combination with saturated, trans-, or cis-monoenoic fatty acids. Palmitic acid was the principal fatty acid combined with 4-sphingenines, while nervonic acid was the principal fatty acid combined with sphingadienine. About 4% of the total fatty acids of sphingomyelin were trans-monoenoic. They were comprised of many positional isomers of straight-chain C22-24 compounds. The cis-monoenoic acids made up 33% of the total acids and consisted of almost pure nervonic acid. The rest of the acids were saturated. The 4-sphingenines contained small amounts of iso-C18 and anteiso-C19 compounds in addition to the straight-chain C16-18 bases.
Supplementary key words trans-monoenoic fatty acids positional isomers branched-chain 4-sphingenines ceramide diacetates argentation TLC diet chain elongation nonrandom combinations of long-chain bases and fatty acids
Submitted on June 9, 1969
Revised on September 29, 1969
Accepted on October 15, 1969