Metabolism of cis-11,cis-14- and trans-11,trans-14-Eicosadienoic Acids in the Rat

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Abstract
The metabolism of the cis,cis and the trans,trans isomers of 11,14-eicosadienoic acids was studied with essential fatty acid-deficient adult male rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain. Analysis of liver phospholipids showed that whereas the trans,trans-diene isomer was catabolized quickly, the cis,cis isomer built up in the liver and was converted to arachidonic acid. The conversion of both the cis,cis- and the trans,trans-20:2 dienes to 18:2 dienes was demonstrated by isolation and structural analyses of the latter compounds. The conversion of the 20:2 cis,cis-diene isomer to linoleic acid and it, in turn, to arachidonic acid was demonstrated by isotope experiments in which methyl cis-11,cis-14-eicosadienoate-3-14C was injected intraperitoneally into EFA-deficient rats. The retention of 20:2 cis,cis-diene appeared to occur as a result of the animal's ability to conserve its stores of EFA. As a facet of this mechanism, the catabolism of the 20:2 cis,cis-diene appeared to be arrested with the formation of linoleic acid which was preferentially converted to arachidonic acid.