Intestinal absorption and esterification of 14C-labeled fatty acids in man.

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Abstract
Detailed information about the fatty acid specificity of the overall process of esterification during intestinal fat absorption have been obtained in man. Mixtures of 14C -labeled fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acid) were fed to subjects with cannulae in their thoracic ducts. The distribution of fatty acid mass and radio-activity in the cholesterol esters, triglycerides and phospholipids in the chyle was subsequently determined. Under all conditions the incorporation of oleic acid into cholesterol esters was relatively greater than the incorporation of other fatty acids. The intestine of man seems preferentially to synthesize cholesteryl oleate, rather than other cholesterol esters. In the process of lymph triglyceride formation no specificity for 1 fatty acid relative to another was observed comparing palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids. A slight discrimination against stearic acid was observed in absorption and the formation of lymph triglycerides. Linoleic acid was selectively incorporated into lymph phospholipids by comparison with palmitic, stearic and oleic acid. A considerable amount of endogenous fatty acids was used for synthesis of the various lipid classes of the lymph.