Influence of dietary fat saturation on lipid absorption in the rat

Flux (mumole/h) of triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterol into the thoracic duct lymph was measured in rats receiving a constant intraduodenal infusion of a cholesterol-free oil rich in either polyunsaturated (P/S = 4.8) or saturated (P/S = 0.2) fatty acids. Rats had ad libitum access to a fat-free semi-synthetic diet throughout the experiment. Oils were infused at a rate equivalent to a 10% (w/w) fat-containing diet for at least 18 h prior to collection of lymph; both oils were compared in each animal. Although absorption of the infused oils approximated 100%, triglyceride flux was significantly lower during infusion of the saturated compared to the polyunsaturated oil. Phospholipid and total cholesterol fluxes were not significantly affected by the type of oil, but the percent of lymph total cholesterol which was esterified was slightly but significantly lower during infusion of the unsaturated oil. Using the molar phospholipid/triglyceride ratio as a index of lymph lipoprotein size, it was found that absorption of the oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids resulted in an increase in the mean size of lymph lipoproteins. The potential significance of an influence of dietary fat saturation on lymph lipoprotein size and cholesterol esterification for the ultimate metabolic fate of absorptive lipoprotein constituents is discussed.