Quantitative lipidomic analysis of plasma and plasma lipoproteins using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

Knowledge of the plasma lipid composition is essential to clarify the specific roles of different lipid species in various pathophysiological processes. In this study, we developed an analytical strategy combining high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) and off-line coupling with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) to determine the composition of plasma and major lipoproteins at two levels, lipid classes and lipid species. We confirmed the suitability of MALDI-TOF/MS as a quantitative measurement tool studying the linearity and repeatability for triglycerides (TG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). Moreover, data obtained with this method were correlated with other lipid classes and species measurements using currently available technologies. To establish the potential utility of our approach, human plasma very low density- (VLDL), low density- (LDL) and high density- (HDL) lipoproteins from 10 healthy donors were separated using ultracentrifugation, and compositions of nine lipid classes, cholesteryl esters (CE), TG, free cholesterol (FC), PE, phosphatidylinositol (PI), sulfatides (S), PC, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and sphingomyelin (SM), analyzed. In total, 157 lipid species in plasma, 182 in LDL, 171 in HDL, and 148 in VLDL were quantified. The lipidomic profile was consistent with known differences in lipid classes, but also revealed unexpected differences in lipid species distribution of lipoproteins, particularly for LPC and SM. In summary, the methodology developed in this study constitutes a valid approach to determine the lipidomic composition of plasma and lipoproteins.

HSL-knockout mouse testis exhibits class B scavenger receptor upregulation and disrupted lipid raft microdomains

There is a tight relationship between fertility and changes in cholesterol metabolism during spermatogenesis. In the testis, class B scavenger receptors (SR-B) SR-BI, SR-BII, and LIMP II mediate the selective uptake of cholesterol esters from HDL, which are hydrolyzed to unesterified cholesterol by hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). HSL is critical because HSL knockout (KO) male mice are sterile. The aim of the present work was to determine the effects of the lack of HSL in testis on the expression of SR-B, lipid raft composition, and related cell signaling pathways. HSL-KO mouse testis presented altered spermatogenesis associated with decreased sperm counts, sperm motility, and infertility. In wild-type (WT) testis, HSL is expressed in elongated spermatids; SR-BI, in Leydig cells and spermatids; SR-BII, in spermatocytes and spermatids but not in Leydig cells; and LIMP II, in Sertoli and Leydig cells. HSL knockout male mice have increased expression of class B scavenger receptors, disrupted caveolin-1 localization in lipid raft plasma membrane microdomains, and activated phospho-ERK, phospho-AKT, and phospho-SRC in the testis, suggesting that class B scavenger receptors are involved in cholesterol ester uptake for steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in the testis.