acilcarnitinet

Acylcarnitinet is a term used in some languages for acylcarnitine, a class of esters formed from carnitine and fatty acyl groups. Acylcarnitines are classified by the length of the acyl chain and include well-known examples such as acetylcarnitine and palmitoylcarnitine.

In fatty acid oxidation, acylcarnitines facilitate the transport of long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria. The carnitine shuttle transfers the acyl group from fatty acyl-CoA to carnitine via carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I) on the outer mitochondrial membrane, followed by translocation across the membrane by carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase, and reconversion to acyl-CoA by CPT II in the matrix for beta-oxidation.

Abnormal acylcarnitine patterns reflect metabolic disorders or energy stress. Inborn errors such as CPT I deficiency, CPT II deficiency, and carnitine transporter deficiency produce characteristic profiles in blood. Acylcarnitines are routinely measured in newborn screening by tandem mass spectrometry to detect fatty acid oxidation disorders and related conditions. They also serve as biomarkers of metabolic health and mitochondrial function in research contexts.

The acylcarnitine profile comprises short-, medium-, and long-chain species. Interpretation depends on age, diet, and clinical context. Commonly cited species include acetylcarnitine (C2), propionylcarnitine (C3), and palmitoylcarnitine (C16), among many others. Analytical methods such as LC-MS/MS are used to quantify these metabolites in clinical and research settings.