Accelerated maximal velocity of the red blood cell Na+/K+ pump in hyperlipidemia is related to increase in 1-palmitoyl,2-arachidonoyl-plasmalogen phosphatidylethanolamine.

Among several phospholipid classes and molecular species of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) analyzed, only the percentage of the molecular species 1-palmitoyl,2-arachidonoyl (16: 0/20: 4)-plasmalogen-(alkenylacyl)-PE showed positive relations to the maximal activity and to the dissociation constant of the red blood cell Na+/K+ pump for Na+ in normo- and hyperlipidemic donors. A preferential interaction of this molecular species with the Na+/K+ pump is proposed.