Age-Related Changes in Red Blood Cell Lipids

Abstract

Red blood cell (RBC) lipid composition was investigated in 81 healthy subjects aged twenty to sixty-nine years, having similar dietary habits, and living in the same geographic area in order to search for changes referable to aging. A significant increase in RBC cholesterol and total phospholipid content with aging was found (p<0.001), whereas no differences were observed in cholesterol/phos pholipid molar ratio. Significant increases in palmitic acid 16:0 esterified in phosphatidylcholine and in stearic acid 18:0 esterified in phosphatidylethanolam ine (p<0.001) were observed with aging. Moreover, a decrease in 18:2 n6 was observed in all three phosphoglyceride fractions investigated (p<0.001). These results suggest that modifications in RBC lipid composition occur with aging, possibly causing a reduction of membrane fluidity.