Abstract

The incorporation of dietary isomeric fatty acids into the membranes of liver mitochondria was investigated. Three groups of rats were fed diets containing 3% sunflower seed oil plus 15%, 20%, or 25% partially hydrogenated arachis oil. A fourth group was fed 25% partially hydrogenated arachis oil, but no sunflower seed oil. All diets were given for 3, 6, or 10 weeks. After 10 weeks, the content of trans fatty acids in the lipids of the mitochondrial membranes was 15--19% of the total fatty acids. The composition of the trans- and the cis-octadecenoic acids in the lipids of the mitochondrial membranes was similar for all groups supplemented with sunflower seed oil (SO), irrespective of time and dietary level of partially hydrogenated arachis oil (HAO). The cis 18:1 (n-8), which was a major isomer of the partially hydrogenated arachis oil, was almost excluded from the mitochondrial fatty acids. Likewise, the content of trans 18:1 (n-8) was considerably lower in the mitochondrial lipids than in the diet. On the contrary, the content of trans 18:1 (n-6) was higher in the mitochondrial lipids than in the diet. In the group fed without sunflower seed oil, isomers of linoleic acid and arachidonic acid were observed in the lipids of mitochondrial membranes.