Octadecenoic fatty acids and their association with hemolysis in malaria

Octadecenoic fatty acids have been implicated in prehemolytic and hemolytic phenomena associated with malaria. Oleic [18:1 (n-9)] and cis-vaccenic [18:1 (n-7)] acids were found and quantified in the major neutral and phospholipids of the erythrocytes and plasmas of normal and Plasmodium lophurae-infected ducks, and in the parasite itself. The octadecenoic fatty acids were elevated over normal values in the major phospholipid classes of infected erythrocytes, in the erythrocyte-specific alkoxy phosphatidylethanolamine of infected erythrocytes, and in the plasma unesterified fatty acids, triacylglycerols, cholesterol esters and phosphatidlycholine of infected ducklings. Oleic acid was the major fatty acid of P. lophurae (33% total lipid fatty acid). Theoretical considerations of octadecenoic fatty acid modifications of erythrocyte membrane structure and function in malaria are discussed.