Observations on the effect of the rediae of Fasciola hepatica on the lipid composition of the hepatopancreas of Lymnaea truncatula.

Abstract

In the uninfected hepatopancreas of L. truncatula 7·0–11·0% of the dry weight is lipid. Of the total lipid 60% is neutral lipid and 40% is phospholipid. Free fatty acid is the major neutral lipid component; triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, sterols and esterified sterols are also present. The phospholipids identified were phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, lyso-phosphatidyl choline and sphingomyelin. The fatty acids were analysed by gas chromatography. The major fatty acid is C16 (palmitic) and 60% of the total fatty acids are saturated.In the hepatopancreas of L. truncatula infected with the rediae of F. hepatica, but with the rediae removed, 5·4–9·4% of the dry weight is lipid. Of this total lipid 73% is neutral lipid and 27% is phospholipid. All the fractions of neutral lipid, except the fatty acids are smaller than in the uninfected hepatopancreas. The fatty acids show an increase of 38%. The same phospholipids identified in the uninfected hepatopancreas are present, but all the fractions show a decrease in amount with the exception of the phosphatidyl choline fraction, which is present in approximately equal amounts in both the uninfected and the infected hepatopancreas. The major fatty acid is palmitic acid.