Palmitate uptake by cardiac myocytes and endothelial cells

The mechanisms regulating the cellular uptake of long-chain fatty acids are poorly understood. Although there is evidence that hepatocytes facilitate the uptake of ligands from the protein-bound fraction, it is not known whether cardiac myocytes also facilitate the uptake process. The present studies were designed to address the role of albumin in the uptake of long-chain fatty acids by cardiac myocytes isolated from adult male rats. At low albumin concentrations (1 microM), the myocyte palmitate clearance rate did not exceed that predicted by the diffusion-reaction model. At high albumin concentrations (300 and 600 microM), the clearance ratio test was used to determine whether myocytes facilitate the uptake of palmitate. As with the low albumin concentrations, the diffusion-reaction model accounted for the overall clearance rates. Because endothelial cells might be involved in enhancing fatty acid transport into myocytes, we also determined the effects of endothelial cells on palmitate uptake by cardiac myocytes. Based on cell number, the palmitate clearance rate by endothelial cells in the presence of albumin was only 7% of the cardiac myocyte clearance rate. Combining the endothelial cells with the myocytes did not result in any synergistic effect on the palmitate clearance rate.