Effect of dietary cellulose on site of lipid absorption

The effect of dietary cellulose on the localization within the small intestine of isotopically labeled triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (CH) from a test meal was investigated. Feeding a 20% cellulose meal resulted in greater quantities of 14C-TG present in both the contents and mucosa of the distal intestine compared with a fiber-free control meal. In contrast, cellulose had no effect on the localization of CH within either the intestinal contents or the mucosa. Accumulation of TG within the intestine was not due to differences in stomach emptying, as the emptying rate was similar for both TG and CH. Within the bulk phase TG must be hydrolyzed by pancreatic lipase before it is available for cellular uptake at the microvillus membrane, whereas CH requires no hydrolysis. The greater amount of TG, but not of CH, within the intestine suggests that cellulose can interfere with lipase activity in vivo. Consequently, cellulose can delay TG hydrolysis and increase the amount of lipid absorbed in the ileum.