Functional role of lipid metabolism in activated T-lymphocytes

Exogenous long-chain fatty acids are readily taken up by unstimulated lymphocytes derived from the thymus of calves or rabbits and esterified to complex lipids, primarily phospholipids and triacylglycerols. Compared to saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids are incorporated preferentially. Furthermore, unsaturated fatty acids are transferred from triacylglycerols to phospholipids. The transfer cannot be observed with palmitic acid. With regard to individual phospholipid species, oleic acid and linoleic acid are found primarily in phosphatidylcholine. Arachidonic acid, however, is transferred to phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol as well. This suggests an arachidonic-specific transfer between individual phospholipids. Stimulation of the cells with the mitogen concanavalin A results in an enhanced incorporation of the fatty acids and an enhanced transfer from triacylglycerols to phospholipids. Triacylglycerols may thus be regarded as a labile intracellular storage pool that may be activated upon mitogenic stimulation.