Skip to main content
Log in

Lipid composition of myelin in multiple sclerosis

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Journal of Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Myelin was isolated from histologically normal white matter and plaques from MS patients and from white matter of neurologically normal controls. No difference was found in the total lipid content. There were no detectable deficits in MS myelin of phosphoglycerides, plasmalogens or sphingolipids. Gangliosides and lysolecithin were not detected. Analysis of the fatty aldehyde composition of the phosphoglycerides and the fatty acid composition of the cholesteryl esters, phosphoglycerides and sphingolipids did not show any differences between the normal and MS myelin.

Zusammenfassung

Myelin wurde aus Plaques von MS-Patienten sowie aus histologisch normaler weißer Substanz des Gehirns von Patienten und von Kontrollfällen isoliert. Es wurde kein Unterschied im Gesamtlipidgehalt festgestellt. Es war kein faßbarer Mangel an Phosphoglyceriden, plasmalogenen und Sphingolipiden im Myelin der MS-Fälle nachweisbar. Ganglioside und Lysolecithine wurden nicht gefunden. Eine Analyse der Zusammensetzung der fetthaltigen Aldehyde der Phosphoglyceride und der Fettsäurezusammensetzung der Cholesterolester, der Phosphoglyceride und der Sphingolipide zeigte keinerlei Unterschiede zwischen dem normalen Myelin und dem Myelin in den MS-Fällen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Alling, C., Vanier, M. T., Svennerholm, L.: Lipid alterations in apparently normal white matter in multiple sclerosis. Brain Res. 35, 325–326 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Arnetoli, G., Pazzagli, A., Amaducci, L.: Fatty acid and aldehyde changes in cholineand ethanolamine-containing phospholipids in the white matter of multiple sclerosis brains. J. Neurochem. 16, 461–463 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Baker, R. W. R., Thompson, R. H. S., Zilkha, K. J.: Fatty-acid composition of brain lecithins in multiple sclerosis. Lancet 1963 I, 26–27

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bernsohn, J., Stephanides, L. M.: Aetiology of multiple sclerosis. Nature (Lond.) 215, 821–823 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Clausen, J., Möller, J.: Allergic encephalomyelitis induced by brain antigen after deficiency in polyunsaturated fatty acid during myelination. Acta neurol. scand. 43, 375–388 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Clausen, J., Hansen, I. B.: Myelin constituents of human central nervous system. Acta neurol. scand. 46, 1–17 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cumings, J. N.: The cerebral lipids in disseminated sclerosis and in amaurotic family idiocy. Brain 76, 551–562 (1953)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cumings, J. N.: Lipid chemistry of the brain in demyelinating diseases. Brain 78, 554–563 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cumings, J. N., Goodwin, H.: Sphingolipids and phospholipids of myelin in multiple sclerosis. Lancet 1968 II, 664–665

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cuzner, M. L., Davison, A. N., Gregson, N. A.: The chemical composition of vertebrate myelin and microsomes. J. Neurochem. 12, 469–481 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Davison, A. N., Wajda, M.: Cerebral lipids in multiple sclerosis. Neurochem. 9, 427–432 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Eng, L. F., Chao, F. C., Gerstl, B., Pratt, D., Tavaststjerna, M. G.: The maturation of human white matter myelin. Biochemistry, Easton 7, 4455–4465 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Fewster, M. E., Mead, J. F.: Lipid composition of glial cells isolated from bovine white matter. J. Neurochem. 15, 1041–1052 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fewster, M. E., Mead, J. F.: Fatty acid and fatty aldehyde composition of glial cell lipids isolated from bovine white matter. J. Neurochem. 15, 1303–1312 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Fewster, M. E., Burns, B. J., Mead, J. F.: Quantitative densitometric thin-layer chromatography of lipids using copper acetate reagent. J. Chromatog. 43, 120–126 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fewster, M. E., Mead, J. F., Wolfgram, F. J., Tourtellotte, W. W.: Cholesterol esters in myelin isolated from cerebral white matter of patients with multiple sclerosis. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N.Y.) 133, 795–800 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Fewster, M. E., Hirono, H., Mead, J. F.: The stability of myelin ethanolamine glycerophosphatide in post-mortem human and bovine brains. J. Neurochem. 19, 1803–1805 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Gerstl, B., Kahnke, M. J., Smith, J. K., Tavaststjerna, M. G., Hayman, R. B.: Brain lipids in multiple sclerosis and other diseases. Brain 84, 310–19 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Gerstl, B., Tavaststjerna, M. G., Hayman, R. B., Smith, J. K., Eng, L. F.: Lipid studies of white matter and thalamus of human brains. J. Neurochem. 10, 889–902 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Gerstl, B., Tavaststjerna, M. G., Hayman, R. B., Eng, L. F., Smith, J. K.: Alterations in myelin fatty acids and plasmalogens in multiple sclerosis. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 122, 405–416 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Gerstl, B., Eng, L. F., Hayman, R. B., Tavaststjerna, M. G., Bond, P. R.: On the composition of human myelin. J. Neurochem. 14, 661–670 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Gerstl, B., Eng, L. F., Tavaststjerna, M. G., Smith, J. K., Kruse, S. L.: Lipids and proteins in multiple sclerosis white matter. J. Neurochem. 17, 677–689 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Gerstl, B.: The biochemistry of demylination and demylinating diseases. In: Biochemical aspects of nervous diseases (ed. J. N. Cumings), p. 69. London: Plenum Press 1972

    Google Scholar 

  24. Laatsch, R. H., Kies, M. W., Gordon, S., Alvord, E. C.: The encephalomyelitic activity of myelin isolated by ultracentrifugation. J. exp. Med. 115, 777–788 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Mangold, M. K., Malins, D. C.: Fractionation of fats, oils, and waxes on thin layers of silicic acid. J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc. 37, 383–385 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  26. O'Brien, J. S., Sampson, E. L.: Lipid composition of the normal human brain: gray matter, white matter, and myelin. J. Lipid Res. 6, 537–544 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  27. O'Brien, J. S., Sampson, E. L.: Fatty acid and fatty aldehyde composition of the major brain lipids in normal human gray matter, white matter, and myelin. J. Lipid Res. 6, 545–551 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Privett, O. S., Blank, M. L., Codding, D. W., Nickell, E. C.: Lipid analysis by quantitative thin-layer chromatography. J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc. 42, 381–393 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Rouser, G., Galli, C., Lieber, E., Blank, M. L., Privett, O. S.: Analytical fractionation of complex lipid mixtures: DEAE cellulose column chromatography combined with quantitative thin layer chromatography. J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc. 41, 836–840 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Scheinberg, L. C., Korey, S. R.: Multiple sclerosis. Ann. Rev. Med. 13, 411–430 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Suzuki, K., Kamoshita, S., Eto, Y., Tourtellotte, W. W., Gonatas, J. O.: Myelin in multiple sclerosis. Arch. Neurol. 28, 293–297 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Thompson, R. H. S.: The biochemistry of multiple sclerosis. The Scientific Basis of Medicine Annual Reviews, pp. 283–301 (1962)

  33. Thompson, R. H. S., Cumings, J. N.: In: Biochemical disorders in human disease (eds. R. H. S. Thompson, E. J. King), p. 69. London: J. and A. Churchill Ltd. 1964

    Google Scholar 

  34. Thompson, R. H. S.: A biochemical approach to the problem of multiple sclerosis. Proc. roy. Soc. Med. 59, 269–276 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Yanagihara, T., Cumings, J. N.: Alterations of phospholipids, particularly plasmalogens, in the demyelination of multiple sclerosis as compared with that cerebral oedema. Brain 92, 59–70 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This investigation was supported by Grant 484 from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and by USPHS Grants HD 04575, NB 05464, GM-K6-19177.

The postmortem specimens were provided from the International Tissue Bank supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and administered by Wallace W. Tourtellotte, M.D., Ph.D.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fewster, M.E., Hirono, H. & Mead, J.F. Lipid composition of myelin in multiple sclerosis. J. Neurol. 213, 119–131 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313273

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313273

Key words

Navigation