Studies of triacyglycerol structure of very low density lipoproteins of normolipemic subjects and patients with type III and type IV hyperlipoproteinemia

The triacylglycerols of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL-TG) were analyzed in samples from normal subjects and patients with Frederickson’s Type III and Type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. VLDL were obtained by conventional ultracentrifugation, and the triacylglycerols were isolated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Representative sn-1,2(2,3)- and sn-1,3-diacylglycerols were generated by Grignard degradation of the triacylglycerols, and were resolved by TLC on borate-treated silica gel. The molecular association of the fatty acids in the diacylglycerol moieties was determined by gasliquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) of the tertiary-butyldimethylsilyl ethers. The positional distribution of the fatty acids was established by the Brockerhoff stereospecific analysis. The results showed a marked asymmetry in the distribution of the fatty acids in all samples, with the saturated acids predominantly in the sn-1-position and the unsaturated fatty acids distributed about equally between the sn-2- and sn-3-positions. In all instances, the molecular species composition of the sn-1,2-, sn-2,3- and sn-1,3-diacylglycerols was found to be similar to that calculated for 1-random 2-random 3-random distribution of triacylglycerols. There were marked differences in the quantitative composition of the molecular species of the VLDL-TG between normal subjects and patients, but these discrepancies were attributed to differences in the fatty acid composition of the samples.     

Milk fat structure of a patient with type 1 hyperlipidemia

Structural analyses were performed on milk fat samples obtained 3–10 days postpartum from a lactating patient with primary Type 1 hyperlipidemia. The milk triacylglycerols contained 3–7% C₁₀, 14–21% C₁₂, 20–30% C₁₄, 22–26% C₁₆ and 20–30% C₁₈ (largely oleic) acids. Gas liquid chromatographic (GLC) analyses of the X-1,3- and X-1,2-diacylglycerols on polar siloxane columns showed a markedly non-random association of acyl chains. Stereospecific analyses indicated that the short chain length fatty acids were confined essentially to the sn-3-position of the triacylglycerol molecule. Furthermore, these acids were largely absent from the phosphatidylcholines and the endogenous sn-1,2-diacylglycerols of the milk fat. It is concluded that the short chain fatty acids are incorporated into the milk triacylglycerols during the final stage of biosynthesis via the phosphatidic acid pathway, and that the overall fatty acid distribution is consistent with the 1-random 2-random 3-random hypothesis.     

Determination of positional distribution of short-chain fatty acids in bovine milk fat on chiral columns

The positional distribution of acetic and butyric acids in bovine milk fat triacylglycerols was determined by chiral-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the derived diacylglycerols. Enriched fractions of acetic and butyric acid-containing triacylglycerols were isolated by normal-phase thin-layer chromatography (TLC) from a molecular distillate of butter oil, and they were fully hydrogenated. Mixedsn-1,2(2,3)- andX-1,3-diacylglycerols of short- and long-chainlength, which were generated by partial Grignard degradation of the hydrogenated triacylglycerols, were isolated by borate-TLC. The enantiomericsn-1,2-andsn-2,3-diacylglycerols and theX-1,3-diacylglycerols as their 3,5-dinitrophenylurethanes were resolved by HPLC on chiral columns. Both acetic and butyric acids were exclusively associated with thesn- 2,3- andX-1,3-diacylglycerols of short and long chainlength. These results establish the presence of acetic and butyric acids in thesn-3-position of bovine milk fat triacylglycerols. Other short-and medium-chainlength acids were found in progressively increasing proportions also in thesn-1- andsn-2-positions.     

Positional distribution of the fatty acids in the triglycerides of the oil of some african peanut varieties

The distribution of fatty acids between the sn-1-, sn-2- and sn-3-positions of the triglycerides from the oils of eight African peanut varieties has been determined. The saturated fatty acids and eicosenoic acid occur almost exclusively at the sn-1- and sn-3-positions. The sn-1-position contained slightly more palmitic acid than the sn-3-position. The fatty acids with a chain length exceeding 18 carbons were preferentially incorporated in the sn-3-position. Linoleic acid was preferentially esterified at the sn-2-position, whereas oleic acid was equally distributed among the three positions. The amount of the saturated fatty acids, i.e., palmitic and stearic acid, and of oleic acid and linoleic acid incorporated in the sn-1-, sn-2-and sn-3-position, were each linearly related to their respective content in the triglycerides.     

Stereospecific analysis of triacylglycerols and major phosphoglycerides fromLipomyces lipoferus

The stereospecific distribution of fatty acids in triacylglycerols, phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines ofLipomyces lipoferus was determined. Position sn-1 of the triacylglycerols had a predominance of unsaturated fatty acids of which C_18∶1 (61%) was the major component. Position sn-2 of the triacylglycerols contained 88% C_18∶1 and was more unsaturated than position sn-1 by 24.6%. Position sn-3 had equal proportions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Phosphatidylcholine had a quantitatively distinctive fatty acid distribution in that position sn-2 was 26.7% more unsaturated than position sn-1. In phosphatidylethanolamine, position sn-2 was 10.8% more unsaturated than position sn-1. Positions sn-1 and sn-2 of these phosphoglycerides had a different fatty acid profile from positions sn-1 and sn-2 of the triacylglycerols. These results suggest a nonrandom distribution of fatty acids in the triacylglycerols and phosphoglycerides. Because triacylglycerols and phosphoglycerides are both derived from 1,2-diacylglycerols, these data suggest two possibilities: some selectivity in utilization of species of diacylglycerols to form triacylglycerols and phosphoglycerides or modification of the triacylglycerols and phosphoglycerides after they are formed or both. This study is the first of its kind in a yeast. Presented in part at the AOCS Fall Meeting, Ottawa, Canada, September 1972.     

Positional analysis and determination of triacylglycerol structure ofArgania spinosa seed oil

The distribution of fatty acids between the sn-1, sn-2 and sn-3 positions of triacylglycerols fromArgania spinosa seed oil of Morocco has been determined. Saturated fatty acids showed a preference for external positions. The sn-1 position contained slightly more palmitic acid than the sn-3 position, whereas stearic acid was preferentially esterified at the sn-3 position. Linoleic acid occurred predominantly in the sn-2 position with lesser amount evenly distributed between the sn-1 and the sn-3 positions, as generally found in vegetable oils. Oleic acid was distributed with a slight preference shown for the internal position, whereas the distribution between the external positions revealed a slight preference for the sn-1 position. The distribution of the triacylglycerols determined from high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is at variance with that calculated from the 1-random 2-random 3-random distribution theory. This is particularly true for trioleoyl and trilinoleoylglycerols. In contrast, the agreement between theory and experiment is good for triacylglycerols containing two oleoyl and one linoleoyl chains, one oleoyl, one linoleoyl and one palmitoyl chains or one oleoyl, one palmitoyl, and one stearoyl chains.     

Stereospecific analysis of triacylglycerols rich in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids

Six oils of marine, algal, and microbial origin were analyzed for stereospecific distribution of component fatty acids. The general procedure involved preparation ofsn-1,2-(2,3)-diacylglycerols by partial deacylation with ethylmagnesium bromide or pancreatic lipase, separation of X-1,3- andsn-1,2(2,3)-diacylglycerols by borate thin-layer chromatography, resolution of thesn-1,2- andsn-2,3-enantiomers by chiral phase high-performance liquid chromatography following preparation of dinitrophenylurethane derivatives, and determination of the fatty acid composition by gas chromatography. Unexpected complications arose during a stereospecific analysis of triacylglycerols containing over 33% of either 20∶4 or 22∶6 fatty acids. Thesn-1,2(2,3)-diacylglycerols made up of two long-chain polyunsaturated acids migrated with the X-1,3-diacylglycerols and required separate chiral phase resolution. Furthermore, the enzymatic method yieldedsn-1,2(2,3)-diacylglycerols, overrepresenting the polyenoic species due to their relative resistance to lipolysis, but prolonged digestion yielded correct composition for the 2-monoacylglycerols. The final positional distribution of the fatty acids was established by pooling and normalizing the data from subfractions obtained by norman- and chiral-phase separation of diacylglycerols. The molecular species of X-1,3-,sn-1,2- andsn-2,3-diacylglycerol dinitrophenylurethanes were identified by chiral-phase liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization, which demonstrated a preferential association of the paired long-chain acids with thesn-1,2- andsn-2,3-diacylglycerol isomers.     

Lipid methodology — chromatography and beyond. Part II. GC/MS,LC/MS and specific enzymic hydrolysis of glycerolipids

The combination of specific enzymic degradation with GC/MS or LC/MS identification and quantitation of enantiomeric diacylglycerols and reverse isomers has greatly improved the methods of structural analysis of triacylglycerols, so that in many instances complete characterization of both major and minor species is possible. The techniques described for the analysis of triacylglycerols and sn-1,2- and sn-2,3-diacylglycerols are also applicable to the X-1,3-diacylglycerols and X-1-monoacylglycerols following coversion to triacylglycerols by acylation with appropriate fatty acids. For many applications, however, a combination of specific enzymic hydrolysis with a GLC analysis of the products on polar capillary columns may be adequate for the identification and quantitation of the major molecular species of both triacylglycerols and diacylglycerols.     

Acylglycerol structure of genetic varieties of peanut oils of varying atherogenic potential

Detailed investigation was made of the triacylglycerol structure of three varieties of peanut oils of varying atherogenic activity. By means of chromatographic and stereospecific analyses, it was shown that all the oils had markedly nonrandom enantiomeric structures with the long chain saturated fatty acids (C₂₀−C₂₄) confined exclusively to thesn-3-position, whereas the palmitic and oleic acids were distributed about equally between thesn-1-andsn-3-positions, with the linoleic acid being found preferentially in thesn-2-position. On the basis of detailed studies of the molecular species of the separatesn-1,2-,sn-2,3- andsn-1,3-diacylglycerol moieties, it was concluded that the fatty acids in the three positions of the glycerol molecule are combined with each other solely on the basis of their relative molar concentrations. As a result, it was possible to calculate the composition of the molecular species of the peanut oil triacylglycerols (including the content of the enantiomers and the reverse isomers) by means of the 1-random 2-random 3-random distribution. In general, the three peanut oils possessed triacylglycerol structures which where closely similar to that derived earlier for a commercial peanut oil of North American origin. Since their oil has exhibited a high degree of atherogenic potential, it was anticipated that the present oils would likewise be atherogenic, which has been confirmed by biological testing. However, there are certain differences in the triacylglycerol structures among these oils, which can be correlated with the variations in their atherogenic activity. The major differences reside in the linoleic/oleic acid ratios in the triacylglycerols, especially in thesn-2-position, and in the proportions in which these acids are combined with the long chain fatty acids. On the basis of the characteristic structures identified in the earlier analyzed atherogenic peanut oil, the peanut oil of South American origin would be judged to possess the greatest atherogenic potential and this has been borne out by biological testing.     

Positional distribution of Δ5-acids in triacylglycerols from conifer seeds as determined by partial chemical cleavage

The positional distribution of various Δ5-acids in the seed triacylglycerols from several conifer species has been established after partial chemical degradation with Grignard reagent. The species studied were representative of four conifer families and were specially selected for their particularly high Δ5-acid contents. These species were Taxus baccata (Taxaceae; 5,9-18:2 acid, 11.9%), Larix decidua (Pinaceae; 5,9,12-18:3 acid, 28.5%), Sciadopytis verticillata (Taxodiaceae; 5,11,14-20:3 acid, 16.7%), and Juniperus communis (Cupressaceae; 5,11,14,17-20:4 acid, 19.8%). Calculations from the fatty acid compositions of triacylglycerols and of the mixture of 1,2- and 2,3-diacylglycerols generated by the Grignard reagent indicated that, for the four species, there was a considerable enrichment of Δ5-acids (generally more than ten times) in the 1,3-positions as compared to the 2-position, where Δ5-acids represented always less than 2% of total fatty acids esterified to triacylglycerols. This distribution was practically independent from the species (four families studied), the chainlength (18 or 20 carbon atoms), and the number of ethylenic bonds (two to four) in the Δ5-acids. Similar distributions were established for triacylglycerols from the seeds of three pine species that are available on a ton-scale: Pinus pinea, P. koraiensis, and P. pinaster. These observations confirm and extend previous studies conducted with other conifer species by similar techniques or by ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Consequently, the almost exclusive location of Δ5-acids in the external positions of triacylglycerols is now well established and appears to be a general feature of conifer seed oils.     

Positional distribution of fatty acids in the triacylglycerols of developing oil palm fruit

The pattern of accumulation of triacylglycerols, their fatty acid compositions and the positional distribution of the fatty acids at thesn-2- andsn-1,3-positions of the triacylglycerol molecules at progressive stages of oil palm fruit development were determined. There was an exponential rate of increase of triacylglycerols and their fatty acids toward the end of fruit development. The fatty acid composition of the triacylglycerols in the early stages of development, prior to active accumulation, was more or less similar, but differed appreciably from the later stages, and the transition of fatty acid composition toward that of normal palm oil occurred at around 16 wk after anthesis (WAA) and stabilized at 20 WAA. All fatty acids increased in terms of absolute quantity. There was an overall consistency in fatty acid positional distribution, irrespective of development stage. More saturated fatty acids were found to be esterified at thesn-1,3-positions and more unsaturated fatty acids at thesn-2-position of triacylglycerol. Higher rate of incorporation of 16:0 at the 1,3-positions during the active phase of triacylglycerol synthesis was observed, while 18:1 acid exhibited a reverse trend.     

Aspects of Positional Distribution of Fatty Acids in Triacylglycerols of Skin,White and Dark Muscle of Mackerel Scomber scombrus in Relation to Hypertension

The triacylglycerols from skin, white and dark muscle of Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus were isolated and the distribution of fatty acids on the glycerol examined with pancreatic lipase. The dark muscle, which is the smallest dietary fat source of the three tissues, had less EPA and more DHA than the other two tissues. The EPA deficiency was located in the 2-position. The DHA was similar in both the 2-and 1,3-positions. The white muscle triacylglycerol showed a much higher proportion of DHA in the 2-position than in the 1,3-positions. The skin triacylglycerol was relatively undifferentiated in respect to distribution of EPA and DHA. Saturated acids were least in the 2-position of the white muscle triacylglycerol and highest in the 1,3-position of the same fat. Not unexpectedly, the monoethylenic fatty acids of exogenous origin were located in the 1,3-positions and the highest level was in the dark muscle triacylglycerol. The distribution of the whole of the EPA and DHA is not dissimiliar from that projected from literature of fish triacylglycerols. It is concluded that benefits attributed to supplement of dietary mackerel, relative to herring, in certain types of hypertension follow from the total ω-3 fatty acid intake and not from any special distribution on glycerol of mackerel fatty acids.     

Distribution of individual fatty acids in the crystallization fractions of lard

Distribution of the individual fatty acids in the triglycerides of lard was determined by fractional crystallization, partial enzymatic hydrolysis with steapsin, and fatty acid analyses by GLC. It was found that none of the individual fatty acids corresponded to a random distribution in the crystallization fractions, but that the distribution of the total saturated and total unsaturated acids was very nearly random. The short chain fatty acids, C₁₄ and C₁₆, both saturated and unsaturated, were found to be more predominant in the 2-position than in the 1- and 3-positions of the lard triglycerides. All of the C₁₈ fatty acids were found to be more predominant in the 1- and 3-positions.     

Determination of molecular species of oil triacylglycerols by reversed-phase and chiral-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A method is described for the determination of molecular species of oil triacylglycerols. The method is based on the analytical separation of the enantiomericsn-1,2-andsn-2,3-diacylglycerols, derived from triacylglycerols, by high-performance liquid-chromatography (HPLC) on a chiral column containing N-(R)-1-(α-naphthyl)ethylaminocarbonyl-(S)-valinecarbonyl-(S)-valine as stationary phase. Model triacyl-glycerol molecules comprising three known fatty acids were isolated from peanut oil and cottonseed oil by a combination of argentation-TLC and reversed-phase HPLC and submitted to partial chemical deacylation. The derivedsn-1,2(2,3)-diacylglycerols were analyzed and fractionated as 3,5-dinitrophenyl urethane derivatives by reversed-phase HPLC according to chainlength and unsaturation. From thesn-1,2(2,3)-diacylglycerol composition and the diacylglycerolsn-1,2-andsn-2,3-enantiomer composition, the individual molecular species of four peanut oil triacylglycerols and one cottonseed oil triacylglycerol were identified and quantitated. The method can be applied to triacylglycerols of any other oil or fat.     

Identification of natural diacylglycerols as the 3,5-dinitrophenylurethanes by chiral phase liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry

This study reports a facile identification of the molecular species of enantiomeric diacylglycerols by combining chiral phase high-performance liquid chromatography with positive chemical ionization mass spectrometry. For this purpose the 3,5-dinitrophenylurethane (DNPU) derivatives ofsn-1,2(2,3)-diacylglycerols are separated on an (R+)-naphthylethylamine polymer column (25 cm × 0.46 cm ID) using an isocratic solvent system made up of hexane/dichloroethane/acetonitrile (85∶10∶5, by vol) or isooctane/tert-butyl methyl ether/acetonitrile/isopropanol (80∶10∶5∶5, by vol). About 1% of the column effluent (1 mL/min) was admitted to a quadrupole mass spectrometer (Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, CA)via direct liquid inlet interface, and positive chemical ionization spectra were recorded over the range of 200–900 mass units. The DNPU derivatives of diacylglycerols yield characteristic [M-DNPU]⁺ and [RCO+74]⁺ ions for each diacylglycerol species from which the molecular weight and exact pairing of fatty acids can be unequivocally obtained. The characteristic ions appear to be generated in nearly correct mass proportions as indicated by preliminary quantitative comparisons. The abbreviations 14∶0, 16∶1, 18∶2, etc. represent normal chain fatty acids of 14, 16, 18, etc. acyl carbons and 0, 1, 2, etc. double bonds, respectively; 16∶0–18∶1, etc. represent diacylglycerols containing 16∶0 and 18∶1 fatty acids of unspecified positional distribution;sn indicates stereospecific numbering of glycerol carbons;sn-1,2-diacylglycerols andsn-2,3-diacylglycerols are enantiomeric diacylglycerols of unspecified fatty acid composition;rac-1,2-diacylglycerols are racemic diacylglycerols representing equal amounts ofsn-1,2-andsn-2,3-enantiomers;sn-1,2(2,3)-diacylglycerols are a mixture ofsn-1,2-andsn-2,3-diacylglycerols of unspecified proportion of enantiomers and unspecified fatty acid compisition and positional distribution; X-1,3-diacylglycerols are diacylglycerols of unspecified fatty acid composition and reverse isomer content.     

Positional distribution of the fatty acids in the triglycerides of mango (Mangifera indica) kernel fat

Triglycerides of mango seed kernel fat contain, depending on the variety, 32.4–44.0% of stearic acid and 43.7–54.5% of oleic acid. Palmitic and linoleic acids represent, respectively, 5.9–9.1% and 3.6–6.7% of the fatty acids. The triglycerides also contain minor amounts of arachidic and linolenic acids. Palmitic, stearic and arachidic acids were almost exclusively distributed among thesn-1-andsn-3-positions. Oleic acid represented 85–89% of the fatty acids at thesn-2-position. Oleic acid at thesn-1- andsn-3-positions showed a preference for thesn-1-position. Linoleic acid was mainly esterified at thesn-2-position. The amounts of saturated fatty acids, i.e., palmitic and stearic acids, and of oleic acid, at thesn-1- and sn-3-positions, were linearly related to their respective contents in the total triglycerides.     

The Triglyceride Composition of Mango (Mangifera indica) Kernel Fat

The triglyceride composition of the kernel fat of 9 different mango varieties has been determined. Stearic and oleic acids represent respectively from 32.7 to 44.0% and from 43.7 to 53.4% of the total fatty acids. The remaining fatty acids were palmitic (6.7-9.7%), linoleic (3.6-6.9%), arachidic (1.1-2.5%) and linolenic (0.3–1.0%) acids. The triglyceride components were determined by separating the triglycerides according their degree of unsaturation by means of thin-layer chromatography on silica gel impregnated with silver nitrate. The fatty acid composition of the different triglyceride fractions and of the fatty acids incorporated at the sn-2-position of each triglyceride fraction was determined. Moreover, the triglycerides were separated according to their carbon number by gas liquid chromatography using an open-tubular glass column, wall-coated with CP-Sil 5. The triglyceride compositions obtained by thin-layer chromatography on silica gel impregnated with silver nitrate were in agreement with the compositions predicted by the 1,3-random-2-random distribution hypothesis.     

The Saturated sn-2-Triglycerides of Palm-Kernel Oil

The saturated sn-2-triglycerides (the fatty acid esterified at the 2-position is known) of palm-kernel oil, representing 78%, was isolated by argentation thin-layer chromatography. The nine groups of this fraction (triglycerides with the same total acyl carbon atoms) were fractionated by gas-liquid chromatography and their component fatty acids determined. From the fatty acid composition of each group it was possible to determine mathematically the component triglyceride types of the group (the 3 fatty acids are known, but their positional distribution is not). The proportion of 46 types were calculated in this way. The major fractionate groups (6 out of 9) were hydrolyzed by pancreatic lipase. From the component 2-mono-glycerides it was possible to determine the proportion of 44 sn-2-triglycerides which account for 75% of the oil triglycerides. Trilaurin (21%) is the major component, followed by sn-2-lauro-1,3-lauromyristin (12%). These two triglycerides together form one third of the glyceride content of the oil. Sn-2-lauro-1,3-caprylolaurin (7%), 5 sn-2-triglycerides (2 to 5%), 9 (1 to 2%) were also found, and 27 triglycerides present at less than 1%. The calculated 1,3-random-2-random distribution of fatty acids on glycerol molecules exhibited great differences from the experimentally determined distribution. Consequently, calculations of this kind cannot replace a complete analytical analysis of palm-kernel oil such as the one reported in this work.     

Triacylglycerol structure of an african peanut oil

Triacylglycerols were isolated from an African peanut oil, then fractionated by unsaturation into classes, and the triacylglycerol structure was determined on these classes using pancreatic lipase hydrolysis. Fatty acid analysis of monoacylglycerols and, in some cases, of 1 or 2 classes of diacylglycerols, allowed the proportions of 84 isomers to be calculated. The oil had a high oleic acid content (60.3%) and contained nearly 25% of trioleoylglycerol, the major triacylglycerol. The 4 most abundant isomers together represented more than one-half of the total triacylglycerols. In 30 isomers, the 2-position was occupied by linoleic acid, and in 39 isomers, by oleic acid. The very long-chain saturated fatty acids (20:0, 22:0, 24:0) that formed 5.1% of the fatty acid content of the oil, were not found in the 2-position. In most cases, each was associated with 2 molecules of an unsaturated fatty acid. The placement of fatty acids, respectively, at the 1,3-position and the 2-position was relatively close to a l,3-random-2-random distribution, except for trioleoylglycerol (24.7% instead of 21.7% by the random hypothe-sis). To whom requests should be sent.     

Hydrolysis of synthetic triacylglycerols by pancreatic and lipoprotein lipase

The stereochemical course of the hydrolysis of synthetic sn-glycerol-1-palmitate-2-oleate-3-linoleate, sn-glycerol-1,2-dipalmitate-3-oleate and their antipodes by pancreatic and milk lipoprotein lipase was investigated by thin layer and gas liquid chromatographies of the diacylglycerol intermediates. The enzymic hydrolyses were made with bile salts or lysolecithin in a 1∶1 molar ratio to the substrate as emulsifiers and were limited to short time intervals which minimized isomerization and the reversal of lipolysis. In all instances, the products of hydrolysis by lipoprotein lipase contained a marked preponderance of the 2,3-diacylglycerols, while the composition of the diacylglycerol intermediates in the products of pancreatic lipase varied with the nature of the fatty acid in the 1 and 3 positions of the triacylglycerol molecule. Pancreatic lipase, but not lipoprotein lipase, gave a preferential release of unsaturated fatty acids. The above results are similar to those obtained with radioactive trioleoylglycerol and conventional stereospecific analyses and suggest that lipoprotein lipase may favor attack on the sn-1 position. It is hypothesized that the small amounts of the 1,2-diacylglycerols present may have arisen from a reversal of lipolysis also catalyzed by this enzyme. Presented in part at the AOCS Fall Meeting, Ottawa, September 1972.