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Serum dolichols in different clinical conditions
K Humaloja1, R P Roine, K Salmela
1Research and Treatment Unit of Alcohol Diseases, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation
|December 1, 1991
Summary
Serum dolichol levels do not change with common diseases or pregnancy, unlike urinary dolichols. However, serum dolichol may serve as a marker for specific inherited lysosomal storage diseases.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Clinical Chemistry
- Metabolic Diseases
Background:
- Dolichols are lipid-soluble polyprenols involved in glycoprotein synthesis.
- Previous research indicated altered dolichol levels in certain conditions, but studies focused on urinary dolichols.
- The regulation and clinical significance of serum dolichol concentrations remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of various clinical diseases and normal pregnancy on serum dolichol concentrations.
- To compare serum dolichol regulation with that of urinary dolichols.
- To determine if serum dolichol concentration exhibits diurnal variation.
- To explore the potential of serum dolichol as a diagnostic marker.
Main Methods:
- Serum dolichol concentrations were measured in 76 hospitalized patients with diverse clinical conditions (viral infections, bacterial infections, malignant diseases, cardiovascular diseases, gastroenterological diseases, endocrinological diseases, rheumatic diseases) and 10 pregnant women.
- Serum dolichol levels were also assessed in healthy volunteers at different times of day to check for diurnal variation.
- Comparisons were made between patient groups, pregnant women, and healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Serum dolichol concentrations were not significantly elevated in any of the studied clinical diseases or during normal pregnancy.
- Serum dolichol levels showed no diurnal variation in healthy individuals.
- These findings suggest independent regulation of serum and urinary dolichol levels.
Conclusions:
- Serum dolichol concentration is not affected by common clinical diseases or pregnancy.
- Serum and urinary dolichol levels appear to be regulated independently.
- Serum dolichol may serve as a potential laboratory marker for recessively inherited lysosomal storage diseases like aspartylglucosaminuria and mannosidosis, where exceptionally high levels have been previously reported.