Fatty Acid Composition of Tissue Cholesterol Esters in Elderly Humans with Atherosclerosis.

Abstract

The fatty acids esterified with cholesterol have been determined by gasliquid chromatography in the media, free-lying lipid containing material of far-advanced plaques, and livers obtained at autopsy from 6 atherosclerotic subjects. For comparison, serum CEFA in 6 well-nourished subjects with occlusive atherosclerosis was also determined. Of tissues studied, composition of CEFA of the aortic media was very similar to that of serum. Plaque material contained a greater proportion of saturated and monoenoic fatty acids than either media or serum. Liver CEFA contained considerably less polyunsaturated fatty acids and more saturated and monoenoic acids than did serum or media. The major CEFA of media and serum was linoleic acid and major fatty acid of plaque material and liver was oleic acid. The significance of these findings in relation to the role of unsaturated fatty acids in atherogenesis is discussed.