Presence of regio-isomeric cholesteryl linoleate hydroperoxides and hydroxides in plasma from healthy humans as evidence of free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation in vivo

Abstract

Lipid hydroperoxides are the primary stable products of lipid peroxidation. We have developed an ultrasensitive method for the detection of lipid hydroperoxides¹ and found about 3 nM cholesteryl ester hydroperoxides (CE-OOH), mostly cholesteryl linoleate hydroperoxides (Ch18:2-OOH), in blood plasma obtained from healthy subjects.² Autoxidation of cholesteryl linoleate (Ch18:2) gives cholesteryl 13-hydroperoxy-9Z,11E-octadecadienoate (13ZE-Ch18:-OOH), cholesteryl 13-hydroperoxy-9E,11E-octadecadienoate (13EE-Ch18:2-OOH), cholesteryl 9-hydroperoxy-10E,12Z-octadecadienoate (9EZ-Ch18:2-OOH), and cholesteryl 9-hydroperoxy-10E,12E-octadecadienoate (9EE-Ch18:2-OOH). Enzymatic oxidation of Ch18:2 with 15-lipoxygenase gives predominantly only one product (13ZE-Ch18:2-OOH).³ To help elucidate the production mechanisms of cholesteryl linoleate hydroperoxides in vivo, we examined the distribution of Ch18:2-O(O)H regioisomers in human blood plasma.