Phospholipid composition of cultured human endothelial cells.

Detailed analyses of the phospholipid compositions of cultured human endothelial cells are reported here. No significant differences were found between the phospholipid compositions of cells from human artery, saphenous and umbilical vein. However, due to the small sample sizes, relatively large standard deviations for some of the phospholipid classes were observed. A representative composition of endothelial cells is: phosphatidylcholine 36.6%, choline plasmalogen 3.7%, phosphatidylethanolamine 10.2%, ethanolamine plasmalogen 7.6%, sphingomyelin 10.8%, phosphatidylserine 7.1%, lysophosphatidylcholine 7.5%, phosphatidylinositol 3.1%, lysophosphatidylethanolamine 3.6%, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate 1.8%, phosphatidic acid 1.9%, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 1.5%, and cardiolipin 1.9%. The cells possess high choline plasmalogen and lysophosphatidylethanolamine contents. The other phospholipids are within the normal biological ranges expected. Phospholipids were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography and quantified by lipid phosphorus assay.