title: Analysis of the intestinal absorption of essential fatty acids in vivo in the rat.
abstract: The absorption and competition kinetics of the essential fatty acids (EFAs), linoleic acid (LA), alpha-linolenic acid (alphaLnA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in vivo were studied in the perfused rat jejunum. Uptake of each EFA on its own followed saturable kinetics at low luminal concentrations, suggesting a facilitative transport process, the affinity of which increased with chain length and degree of unsaturation. Absorption of one EFA was enhanced by low, whilst competitively inhibited by high, concentrations of a second EFA. Whereas LA and alphaLnA each interfered with the absorption of one another, both had little effect on AA. There was a strong inverse correlation between the relative unsaturation of an EFA and the change in Km of its absorption observed upon inhibition with another EFA. Overall, the results indicated a specific absorptive mechanism, probably involving a transport protein, the affinity of which increased with the degree of unsaturation of the EFA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Health Science, University of Luton, Bedfordshire, UK. neville.punchard@luton.ac.uk
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Punchard
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007583:Jejunum / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid