Identification and diagnostic value of phytanoyl- and pristanoyl-carnitine in plasma from patients with peroxisomal disorders

Phytanic acid is a branched-chain fatty acid, the level of which is elevated in patients with a variety of peroxisomal disorders, including Refsum disease, and Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata type 1 and 5. Elevated levels of both phytanic and pristanic acid are found in patients with Zellweger Spectrum Disorders, and pristanic acid is elevated in patients with α-methylacyl-CoA racemase deficiency. For the diagnosis of peroxisomal disorders, a variety of metabolites can be measured in blood samples from suspected patients, including very long-chain fatty acids, phytanic and pristanic acid. Based on the fact that very long-chain fatty acylcarnitines are elevated in tissues and plasma from patients with certain peroxisomal disorders, we investigated whether phytanoyl- and pristanoyl-carnitine are also present in plasma from patients with different peroxisomal disorders. Our study shows that phytanoyl- and pristanoyl-carnitine are indeed present in plasma samples from patients with different types of peroxisomal disorders, but only when the total plasma levels of their corresponding fatty acids, phytanic acid and pristanic acid, are markedly elevated. We conclude that the measurement of phytanoyl- and pristanoyl-carnitine is not sensitive and specific enough to use these acylcarnitines as conclusive diagnostic markers for peroxisomal disorders.