Abnormal lipid composition of fat tissue in human mesenteric panniculitis.

Mesenteric fat tissue obtained at autopsy from 6 patients with mesenteric panniculitis (MP) were found to contain significant amounts of cholesteryl esters (CE). In addition, samples from 3 of these cases were found to contain 0.5-1.3% free cholesterol, 0.9-1.9% free fatty acids (FFA), 0.6-2.5% l-alkyl glyceryl ether diesters and small amounts of squalene. Two of these tissues also contained alk-l-enyl glyceryl ether diesters. The fatty acid compositions of the CE, FFA, triacylglycerides and glyceryl ether diesters (GEDE) were determined and oleic acid (18:1) was found to be the major fatty acid. The alkyl group composition of the GEDE consisted essentially of 16:0 and 18:0 and 18:1 carbon atoms in both types of ethers.