PLASMATIC AND MEMBRANE LIPID ALTERATIONS IN ERYTHROCYTES FROM DIABETIC RATS FED EITHER N-6 OR N-3 FATTY-ACIDS

We examined the effect of dietary n-6 and n-3 fatty acids on the lipid composition and physical properties of erythrocyte membranes together with cholesterol and triglyceride plasmatic levels in normal and expe rimental diabetic rats. Plasmatic total cholesterol and triglyceride d id not change in normal rats under the dietary regime, but both parame ters decreased significantly in the diabetic animals after the consump tion of either n-6 or n-3 fatty acids. Lipid analyses of erythrocyte m embranes revealed a significant decrease in the total cholesterol toge ther with an increase in the phospholipid amount in the diabetics comp ared to the normal rats As a consequence, cholesterol/phospholipid rat io decreased in these groups of animals and markedly in those fed n-3 fatty acids. These changes would be responsible for the lower fluoresc ent polarization of DPH observed in the latter group. We conclude that equivalent and adequate amounts of dietary either n-6 or n-3 fatty ac ids produce plasmatic and red cell membrane lipid changes in diabetic rats that may improve the evolution of the disease.