Lipidomic Analysis of Plasma from Healthy Men and Women Shows Phospholipid Class and Molecular Species Differences between Sexes

Annette L West, Louise V Michaelson, Elizabeth A Miles, Richard P Haslam, Karen A Lillycrop, Ramona Georgescu, Lihua Han, Johnathan A Napier, Philip C Calder, Graham C Burdge, Annette L West, Louise V Michaelson, Elizabeth A Miles, Richard P Haslam, Karen A Lillycrop, Ramona Georgescu, Lihua Han, Johnathan A Napier, Philip C Calder, Graham C Burdge

Abstract

The phospholipid composition of lipoproteins is determined by the specificity of hepatic phospholipid biosynthesis. Plasma phospholipid 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 concentrations are higher in women than in men. We used this sex difference in a lipidomics analysis of the impact of endocrine factors on the phospholipid class and molecular species composition of fasting plasma from young men and women. Diester species predominated in all lipid classes measured. 20/54 Phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) species were alkyl ester, 15/48 phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) species were alkyl ester, and 12/48 PtdEtn species were alkenyl ester. There were no significant differences between sexes in the proportions of alkyl PtdCho species. The proportion of alkyl ester PtdEtn species was greater in women than men, while the proportion of alkenyl ester PtdEtn species was greater in men than women. None of the phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) or phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) molecular species contained ether-linked fatty acids. The proportion of PtdCho16:0_22:6, and the proportions of PtdEtn O-16:0_20:4 and PtdEtn O-18:2_20:4 were greater in women than men. There were no sex differences in PtdIns and PtdSer molecular species compositions. These findings show that plasma phospholipids can be modified by sex. Such differences in lipoprotein phospholipid composition could contribute to sexual dimorphism in patterns of health and disease.

Keywords: Arachidonic acid; Docosahexaenoic acid; Phospholipid molecular species; Plasma; Sex differences.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

© 2020 The Authors. Lipids published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Oil Chemists' Society.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Plasma phosphatidylcholine molecular species composition. Values are proportions in descending order of individual molecular species for n = 20 participants (men plus women, n = 10 per sex). Data points represent individual participants. Bar = mean (range). O,sn‐1 alkyl,sn‐2 ester species; P,sn‐1 alkenyl,sn‐2 ester species
Fig 2
Fig 2
Plasma phosphatidylethanolamine molecular species composition of plasma. Values are proportions in descending order of individual molecular species for n = 20 participants (men plus women, n = 10 per sex). Data points represent individual participants. Bar = mean (range). O,sn‐1 alkyl,sn‐2 ester species; P,sn‐1 alkenyl,sn‐2 ester species
Fig 3
Fig 3
Plasma phosphatidylinositol molecular species composition. Values are proportions in descending order of individual molecular species for n = 20 participants (men plus women, n = 10 per sex). Data points represent individual participants. Bar = mean (range). O,sn‐1 alkyl,sn‐2 ester species; P,sn‐1 alkenyl,sn‐2 ester species

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