Comprehensive-targeted lipidomic analysis in Niemann-Pick C disease

Niemann-Pick C disease (NPC) is a lysosomal disease caused by mutations in NPC1 or NPC2 genes responsible for intracellular accumulation of free cholesterol and glycosphingolipids in a variety of tissues. We collected plasma samples from 15 NPC1 patients and 15 age-matched controls to analyze the impairment of lipid metabolism. Comprehensive-targeted quantitative lipidomic analysis was per-formed by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry, while oxysterols and lyso-sphingolipids, the classical NPC biomarkers, were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Lipidomic analysis allowed the quantitation of ~1100 lipid species, belonging to 13 different classes. Statistical analysis of collected data showed a significant differentiation between NPC patients and controls. Lipid profiling showed an elevation of arachidonic acid and total diacylglycerols. Conversely, sphingomyelins, phosphatidylethano-lamines, phosphatidylcholines, cholesterylesters, and lactosylceramides were decreased. Indeed, the lipid imbalance was consistent with the increased concentrations of oxysterols and lyso-sphingolipids. Our study revealed a novel disease biosignature suggesting new potential diagnostic biomarkers. The alteration in key lipids molecules involved in inflammatory pathways and in oxidative stress regulation, provides new insights in the complex pathophysiology of the disease, still largely un-known.