Hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia: Effects of drug treatment on fatty acid composition of plasma lipids and membranes

• Published in: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids Vol. 78; no. 4; pp. 271 - 280
• Main Authors: Nyalala, John O, Wang, Jiang, Dang, An, Faas, Fred H, Smith, W. Grady
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Advanced Basic Science; Atorvastatin Calcium; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Membrane - drug effects; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Disorders of blood lipids. Hyperlipoproteinemia; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Fatty Acids - analysis; Fatty Acids - blood; Fatty Acids - chemistry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gemfibrozil - therapeutic use; Heptanoic Acids - therapeutic use; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia - blood; Hypercholesterolemia - drug therapy; Hypertriglyceridemia - blood; Hypertriglyceridemia - drug therapy; Lipids - analysis; Lipids - blood; Lipids - chemistry; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Pyrroles - therapeutic use; Simvastatin - therapeutic use; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Drug; Metabolic diseases; Lipids; Hyperlipoproteinemia; Lipoprotein; Triglyceride; Enzymopathy; Fatty acids; Cholesterol; Hypercholesterolemia; Treatment; Hypertriglyceridemia; Plasma membrane; Dyslipemia
• ISSN: 0952-3278; 1532-2823
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2008.03.003

Abstract The effect of atorvastatin, simvastatin and gemfibrozil on fatty acid composition of plasma phospholipids (PL), cholesterol esters (CE), triglycerides (TG) and red cell membrane ghosts (G) has been determined in appropriate sample populations of individuals with hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) or hypercholesterolemia (HCHL). Treatments were appropriate for the condition, gemfibrozil for HTG and a statin for HCHL. Modifications depend on the drug and lipid fraction examined. Both classes of drugs modify fatty acid composition but gemfibrozil modifications are more numerous and dramatic than are the modifications by statins. Gemfibrozil produces major modifications in fatty acid composition, which are both fatty acid and lipid class specific but generally decreases SFA and increases PUFA (mainly n6) and increases the proportion of fatty acids with chain length of 18C or more. Statins tend to increase chain length but have less effect on saturation. Notably, all three drugs increased arachidonic acid (AA) in PL and CE. Statins decreased gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) in PL and CE but gemfibrozil only increased GLA in TG.