Application of 31P MRS to the analysis of phospholipid changes in plasma of patients with acute leukemia

The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the changes of phospholipid concentrations in patients (n = 30) with acute leukemia compared with reference group of healthy volunteers (n = 21). The analysis focused on the following phospholipids (PL) collected from plasma: phosphatidylcholine (PC), plasmalogen of phosphatidylcholine (CPLAS), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), sphingomyelin (SM), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylinositol (PI). Phospholipid extracts were obtained by Folch's method from 4 ml of plasma. 31P MR spectra were obtained on an AMX Bruker 300 MHz (7.05 T) spectrometer. Calculation of concentration based on integral intensity of the phospholipid relative to an internal concentration standard of MDPA. For healthy volunteers, the following values of phospholipid concentrations were obtained: (5.18 ± 1.615) mmol/l for PC + CPLAS; (0.364 ± 0.178) mmol/l for LPC; (1.211 ± 0.411) mmol/l for SM; (0.343 ± 0.124) mmol/l for PI + PE. PLs of patients were assayed at least twice: at the time of diagnosis and, when appropriate, at the time of complete remission from the disease (CR). At the time of diagnosis, the mean concentrations of studied compounds were: (1.602 ± 0.716) mmol/l for PC + CPLAS; (0.041 ± 0.048) mmol/l for LPC; (0.398 ± 0.198) mmol/l for SM; (0.045 ± 0.071) mmol/l for PI + PE. After attainment of complete remission (CR), the respective values were as follows: (4.094 ± 1.886) mmol/l for PC + CPLAS; (0.295 ± 0.139) mmol/l for LPC; (1.123 ± 0.634) mmol/l for SM; (0.230 ± 0.125) mmol/l for PI + PE. All concentrations found in patients at the time of diagnosis were significantly lower than in reference group and in those benefited from complete remission (CR). By contrast the differences in concentrations of phospholipids in plasma between patients with complete remission (CR) and healthy volunteers were no statistically significant.