The effects of cytomegalovirus infection on polar lipids and neutral lipids in cultured human cells.

The effects of infection by the human cytomegaloviruses Ad-169 on the incorporation of [14C]acetate into the polar and neutral lipids of human embryonic lung cells and human saphenous vein smooth muscle cells were compared to [14C]acetate incorporation in mock-infected control cells. Cytomegalovirus infection caused a shift in the relative amounts of polar and neutral lipids, with infected cells having lower amounts of polar lipids and higher amounts of neutral lipids than mock-infected controls. When neutral lipids were separated into diglyceride (DG), cholesterol (C), fatty acid, triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol ester (CE) components, Ad-169-infected cells had lower levels of incorporation of label into CE, TG, and DG fractions, and higher levels of label incorporation into C than mock-infected cells.

Effect of cholesterol and lanosterol on the structure and dynamics of the cell membrane of Mycoplasma capricolum. Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance study.

Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques were employed to study the effect of sterols on the composition and dynamics of the membrane lipids of Mycoplasma capricolum, a natural fatty acid auxotroph that requires sterols for growth. The membrane lipids of cells grown in modified Edwards medium supplemented with cholesterol, oleic acid (OA), and palmitic acid (PA) were composed primarily of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) (60%) and cardiolipin (CL) (35%). The incorporation of cholesterol and the cellular OA/PA ratio increased nonlinearly with increases in exogenous cholesterol level, whereas the levels of phospholipid increased only slightly.

Anti-cardiolipin and anti-phosphatidylglycerol antibodies prepared against bacterial phospholipids.

Anti-phosphatidylglycerol and anti-cardiolipin antisera were prepared in rabbits by using phospholipids purified from Micrococcus lysodeikticus. Anti-phosphatidylglycerol antibodies were found in antisera when either phosphatidylglycerol or cardiolipin were used as immunogens, but adsorption studies indicated they were not similar. Antibodies which reacted with phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidic acid were also found in the anti-cardiolipin antiserum.