Abnormality of very long-chain fatty acids of erythrocyte membrane in alcoholic patients.

Profiles of very long-chain fatty acids were studied in the erythrocyte membrane of five alcoholic patients. We identified three fatty acids as cis-16-pentacosenoic acid (C25:1), cis-17-hexacosenoic acid (C26:1), and hexacosenoic acid (C26:1), and hexacosanoic acid (C26:0) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The ratios of C26:1/C22:0, C26:0/C22:0, C24:1/C22:0, and C24:0/C22:0 were increased. These findings suggest that active oxygen species or free radicals generated by chronic alcohol consumption in alcohol patients interrupt the peroxisomal beta-oxidation of fatty acids, because very long-chain fatty acids are mainly metabolized by the peroxisomal beta-oxidation system. This is the first study showing accumulation of very long-chain fatty acids in the erythrocyte membrane of alcoholic patients.