FATPY ACID METABOLISM IN REYE'S SYNDROME

Abstract

We examined the oxidation of different chain length fatty acids in the leukocytes and the quantity of lipid peroxides in the plasma of Reye syndrome patients. We have found that the oxidation of [1-14C] octanoic acid in homogenates of leukocytes from a patient with Reye syndrome (1.25 ± 0.09 nmol/mg protein/hr) was only 38 percent of the control (3.34 ± 0.07 nmol/mg protein/hr), whereas oxidation of [1-14C] palmitic and [1-14C] lignoceric acids was slightly increased. The rates of oxidation of [1-14C] lignoceric and palmitic acids in Reye's Syndrome were 0.885 ± 0.004 and 0.032 ± 0.002 nmol/mg protein/hr respectively and for their controls were 0.661 ± 0.05 and 0.02 ± 0.004 nmol/mg protein/hr respectively. The level of lipid peroxides in the serum of two Reye syndrome patients in stage III was 4.42- and 3.04 times higher than the control level. Lipid peroxides and ammonia levels were higher in one patient during the period of active disease and subsequently came back to normal levels as the patient improved. These results suggest that impaired oxidation of octanoic acid and higher levels of lipid peroxides may contribute to the pathogenesis of cellular toxicity in Reye syndrome. Supported by grants from National Reye's Syndrome Foundation and NS 22476 from National Institutes of Health.