Abstract

The alterations by peroxisome proliferators of metabolism of linoleic acid in rat liver were studied. Administration of P-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (clofibric acid) enhanced in vivo conversion of linoleic acid to its desaturated and/or elongated metabolites, 6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid, 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid, and arachidonic acid, whereas the formation of 11,14-eicosadienoic acid was decreased. These changes observed in vivo were confirmed in vitro to be due to the increases in activities of delta 6 desaturation of linoleic acid to 6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid (18.4 times), delta 8 desaturation of 11,14-eicosadienoic acid to 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid (3.4 times), and delta 5 desaturation of 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid to arachidonic acid (4.1 times). No considerable changes in activities of chain elongation of either linoleic acid or 6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid were observed. The increases in the activities of three desaturations by clofibric acid were prevented by the treatment of rats with cycloheximide. The inductions of delta 6 and delta 5 desaturations were brought about by the treatment of rats with 2,2'-(decamethylenedithio)diethanol or di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate, peroxisome proliferators structurally unrelated to clofibric acid, as well. These changes in metabolism of linoleic acid by clofibric acid were consistent with the changes in mass proportion of omega 6 fatty acids in hepatic lipid. Physiological significance of the marked changes in linoleic acid metabolism by peroxisome proliferators was discussed.