Transmembrane distribution and translocation of spin-labeled plasmalogens in human red blood cells.

We have synthesized two new spin-labeled alkenylacyl phospholipids (plasmalogens) in order to investigate the transmembrane distribution and transport of this subclass of glycerophospholipids in human red blood cells. The plasmenylethanolamine analogue diffuses rapidly from the outer to the inner leaflet with a half time at 37 degrees C of 30 min comparable to that of the corresponding diacyl-phosphatidylethanolamine spin-label in an ATP-requiring and N-ethyl maleimide sensitive manner. The plateau corresponds to 79% of the aminophospholipids on the inner leaflet. By contrast, after 4 h incubation less than 20% of the plasmenylcholine spin-labels reach the interior. Thus plasmalogens behave as the corresponding diacyl-lipids. We infer that plasmenylethanolamine is transported from the outer to the inner leaflet of the red cell membrane by the aminophospholipid translocase.