The influence of the lipid composition on the degree of lipid-peroxidation of liposomes.

Liposomes containing dilinoleoyl lecithin (di-18(2)PC) and diarachidonyl lecithin (di-20(4)PC) were peroxidized with Fe++/ascorbate. Lipidperoxidation was measured as generated malondialdehyde, the disappearance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, conjugated diene formation and chemiluminescense. It was found that di-20(4)PC was oxidized rapidly, while in the same time period hardly any oxidation of di-18(2)PC took place. Incorporation of different lipid classes into the di-20(4)PC liposomes influenced the peroxidation for each lipid in a characteristic way. Phosphatidylethanolamine stimulated the formation of fluorescent chromolipids. The possible meaning of these reactions in human pathology is discussed.