Fatty Acid Synthesis in Human Lymphocytes.

Abstract

Lipid synthesis in human lymphocytes was studied by incubation of whole thoracic duct lymph with acetate-1-C14. Total lipids were extracted from the lymphocytes and separated into cholesterol esters, triglycerides, and phospholipids, and assayed for radioactivity. Acetate-1-C14 was incorporated mainly into fatty-acids of phospholipids and trigly-cerides but only to a limited extent into cholesterol esters. With the aid of gas radiochromatography the distribution of mass and radioactivity in the fatty-acids of the lymphocytes was determined. In both triglycerides and phospholipids the major part of the radioactivity was found in fatty-acids with 20-22 carbon atoms. Acetate-1-C14 was incorporated mainly by chain-elongation of pre-existing fatty acids, although de-novo synthesis also seems to occur.