Lipids of Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea): a comparison between young adults and gravid worms.

1. All major classes of lipids were found in the young adults in brain (22 days post-infection) and gravid Angiostrongylus cantonensis in lung of rats (34 days post-infection) comprising approximately 60% of phospholipids, 30% of neutral lipids and the rest, glycolipids. 2. The relative composition of phospholipids were quite similar between worms from the two different habitats, with phosphatidylcholine predominating. The glycolipid profiles were also similar. 3. More neutral lipids in the worms from brain existed as cholesterol and cholesterol esters than those from the lung. More than 20% of the fatty acids in these lipids of the brain were found as C10-C14 acids while oleic acid was the main component in the lung worm.