USE OF DEUTERIUM-OXIDE TO MEASURE DE-NOVO FATTY-ACID SYNTHESIS IN NORMAL SUBJECTS CONSUMING DIFFERENT DIETARY FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION

The effect of dietary linoleic (C18:2n-6) and palmitic acids (C16:0) o n rate of hepatic de novo fatty acid synthesis was assessed in normal subjects. The diet was formulated to provide combinations of high and low levels of C18:2n-6 and C16:0, After 21 days of diet treatment, pla sma triacylglycerol level and incorporation of deuterium into the plas ma very low density lipoprotein triacylglycerol (VLDL-TG) pool over 24 hours was measured. Plasma triacylglycerol levels were within the nor mal range. Increasing dietary intake of linoleic acid decreased plasma triacylglycerol level when subjects consumed a low level of dietary p almitic acid. The relative and net amount of de novo synthesized fatty acid in the plasma VLDL-TG pool was not influenced by the diet treatm ents. A relationship between plasma triacylglycerol level and rate of hepatic de novo fatty acid synthesis was observed. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.