Possible relationship between altered fatty acid composition of serum, platelets, and aorta and hypertension induced by sugar feeding in rats

To establish a relationship between alterations in fatty acid metabolism, i nduced by sugar ingestion, and hypertension, we analyzed fatty acid composi tion of serum, platelets and aorta in rats which had 30% of sugar in their drinking water for 18-20 weeks, and became hypertensive, hypertriglyceridem ic and hyperinsulinemic. The fatty acid composition in sugar-fed as compare d with that from control rats was as follows: in serum phospholipids, trigl ycerides and cholesterol eater fractions, palmitic, palmitoleic, oleic and cis-11-eicosadecaenoic acids were present in a higher proportion. In serum phospholipid fraction linoleic and arachidonic acids were decreased and a s ignificant increase was observed in the proportion of dihomo-gamma-linoleni c acid. In the membrane phospholipids of platelets and aorta, higher propor tions of palmitoleic and of oleic acids were observed. Differences in fatty acid composition of phospholipids between sugar-fed and control rats are c onsistent with altered membrane fluidity. Altered membrane function is a po tential mechanism involved hypertension in rats.in sugar-induced.