Quantification of total content of non-esterified fatty acids bound to human serum albumin

Abstract

Non-esterified fatty acids bound to the human serum albumin (HSA) contribute to several HSAs properties of special concern in pathologies, for instance to the reactivity of the free HSA-Cys34 thiol group (important antioxidative thiol pool in plasma), and to the affinity for binding of molecules and ions (for example cobalt as a prominent biomarker in heart ischemia). Therefore, the method for determination of FAs bound to HSA was developed. FAs were released from HSA (previously isolated from serum by ammonium sulfate precipitation) using acidic copper(II) sulfate in phosphoric acid, extracted by n-heptane-chloroform (4:1, v/v) mixture, spotted on TL silica-gel and then developed with n-heptane-chloroform-acetic acid (5:3:03, v/v/v). Common office flatbed scanner and software solution for densitometric image analysis, developed in R, were used. The linearity of calibration curve in concentration range from 0.1 to 5.0 mmol/L stearic acid was achieved. The method was proved to be precise (with RSD of 1.4-4.7%) and accurate. Accuracy was examined by standard addition method (recoveries 97.2-102.5%) and by comparison to results of GC. The method is sample saving, technically less demanding, and cheap, and therefore suitable for determination of FAs/HSA ratio when elevated concentrations of free FAs are reliable diagnostic/risk parameter of pathological states.