Abstract
The cholesteryl ester content of Erhlich cells was increased in tumors grown in mice fed saturated fat diets (coconut oil or tristearin) as compared with a polyunsaturated fat diet (sunflower oil). Cholesteryl esters containing monoenoic fatty acids were the predominant species that accumulated in the cells grown on saturated fat. The increase in cholesteryl esters was not accompanied by corresponding increases in the cell content of phospholipids, triacylglycerols,unesterified cholestorol or proteins. This experimental system may be useful for obtaining basic information about intracellular cholesteryl ester accumulation, a process that occurs in atherosclerosis.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 301-304 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)/Lipids and Lipid Metabolism |
| Volume | 388 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 22 1975 |
Funding
Table III shows that both the cell and ascitesp lasma cholesterol esters from mice fed the saturated fat diets contained greater percentageso f monoenoic fatty acids (16: 1,18: 1 and 20: 1). There were corresponding decreasesi n the polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially 18:2 and 22:4. Diet-induced changesi n the fatty acid composition of the polar lipid and acylglycerol fractions of the cells and ascitesp lasma also occurred, and they were qualitatively similar to those observed in the cholesterol esters. There is increasing interest in the possible use of diets high in polyunsaturated fats for the prevention of atherosclerosis.A n early event in the atherosclerotic process is the intracellular accumulation of cholesteryl esters [ 131. Based on the present results, we believe that the Ehlich cell may be a useful model system in which to study the regulation of intracellular cholesteryl ester accumulation. This system will make possible detailed studies of cholesterol metabolism in isolated, intact cells in which the cholesteryl ester content is responsive to changesi n fatty acid saturation. In the present study, the accumulation of cholesteryl estersw as associatedw ith a shift in their acyl group composition to contain more monoenoic and less polyenoic fatty acid. A similar shift in acyl group composition has been observed when cholesteryl estersa ccumulate in atherosclerotic aortas [ 141. Furthermore, the results with this model system suggestt hat an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids can lower the tissue cholesteryl ester content without necessarily lowering the extracellular fluid cholesterol content. These studies were supported by a researchg rant from the National Heart and Lung Institute (HL-14781). V.A. Liepkalns was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Iowa and American Heart Associations.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry