MESENTERIC LYMPH ABSORPTION OF EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID IN RATS

Mesenteric lymph recoveries and profiles of labeled eicosapentaenoic a cid were explored in rats after intraduodenal infusions of 90 mu mol o f lipid mixtures composed either of 5 mu mol of eicosapentaenoic acid, 25 mu mol of arachidonic acid, 30 mu mol of oleic acid, and 30 mu mol of monopalmitin or equimolar in eicopentaenoic acid, linoleic acid, a nd monoolein. Biochemical and morphologic studies were simultaneously carried out on mesenteric lymph lipoproteins. When administered in fre e form in the presence of monoglycerides, eicosapentaenoic acid absorp tion modalities closely resembled those of arachidonic acid given in a similar design, with a mesenteric lymph recovery of 44% of the infuse d radioactivity for the 6-h time period following the onset of the lip id infusion. In spite of 61-71% of eicosapentaenoic acid incorporation into lymph triglycerides, a significant incorporation into lymph phos pholipids occurred (13-21%). By increasing the degree of unsaturation of the lipid mixture infused, the lymph lipoprotein size increased.