Plasma albumin as an acceptor of free fatty acids

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Abstract
Plasma albumin was more effective in solubilizing oleate in an aqueous medium than any of 5 other proteins or dextran. The solubilizing effect occurred up to an oleate plasma albumin molar ratio of 7.4, or a total free fatty acids: plasma albumin molar ratio of 7.8. Fraction V (albumin), and to a smaller extent fractions IV1 and IV4 of human plasma, permitted the transfer of free fatty acids from adipose tissue in vitro to the medium but casein, fibrinogen, fraction II of plasma, egg albumin, gelatin, peptone and dextran did not. Corticotrophin increased the concentration of free fatty acids in the incubated tissue, but their release was dependent on the presence of plasma fractions V, IV 1 or IV4. Increasing concentrations of plasma albumin in the medium increased the output of free fatty acids from adipose tissue in vitro, decreased the accumulation of free fatty acids in the tissue and increased the total amount of free fatty acids in tissue plus medium. It is concluded that for the release of free fatty acids from adipose tissue a substance with special properties as an acceptor of fatty acids is an absolute requirement, and that plasma albumin performs this function most effectively.