POSITIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF FATTY ACIDS IN LIVER LECITHIN OF RATS AS A FUNCTION OF DIETARY LINOLEATE OR LINOLENATE

1. 1. Weanling female rats were fed for 100 days, either a fat-free diet or a fat-free diet supplemented with increasing levels of either linoleate or linolenate, and the fatty acid distribution on liver lecithins was then determined. The pattern of distribution was governed by fatty acid composition of the diet and by the level of fatty acids fed. 2. 2. As the level of dietary linoleate increased, changes in fatty acid composition of lecithin occurred in the greatest magnitude in the β-position. Most of the response to changes in dietary linoleate occurring in the fatty acid components esterified at both positions of liver lecithin took place at levels of dietary linoleate 1.2% of calories and less. 3. 3. When linoleate was fed in increasing doses responses of the three principal fatty acids in the α-position of liver lecithin (18 : 0, 16 : 0, and 18 : 1 ω 9) were opposite to those when linolenate was fed. 4. 4. Both linoleate and linolenate exerted strong effects on fatty acid components esterified in the β-position and lesser effects on those in the α-position of liver lecithin. © 1968.