Effects of glycerol tripalmitate and glycerol trioleate on intestinal absorption of glycerol tristearate.

The goal of the present study was to determine 1) whether the poor digestion and absorption of glycerol tristearate (TS) that we observed previously is due to amount fed and 2) whether the digestion, absorption, and lymphatic transport of TS is affected by the presence of either a saturated fat [glycerol tripalmitate (TP)] or a monounsaturated fat [glycerol trioleate (TO)]. Three groups of intestinal lymph fistula rats were used. Group A was fed a lipid emulsion containing 12.5 mumol of TS (labeled as [glyceryl-1,3-14C]tristerate), 7.8 mumols of egg phosphatidylcholine, and 57 mumols of sodium taurocholate in 3 ml of phosphate-buffered saline per hour for 8 h. Group B rats were fed the same emulsion as group A, but with 12.5 mumols of TO added. Group C rats had 12.5 mumols of TP instead of TO added to the group A emulsion. The lymphatic radioactivity and triglyceride outputs were significantly lower in group A, with group C next and group B having the highest outputs. Significantly more TS remained in the lumen of the group A rats compared with groups B and C. The majority of the radioactivity in the lumen was still in the TS form in all three groups, indicating poor lipolysis. However, once the fatty acid and monoglyceride were absorbed, the reesterification process was similar in all three groups. When we studied the ability of the three groups of animals to transport the absorbed lipid into lymph (lymph transport index), both groups B and C were significantly better than group A rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A comparison of absorption of glycerol tristearate and glycerol trioleate by rat small intestine.

Generally, fats rich in saturated fatty acids raise serum cholesterol, whereas fats rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids lower it. There appear to be exceptions; e.g., stearic acid (18:0)-rich fats have little or no effect on serum cholesterol concentrations. This apparent lack of cholesterolemic effect of stearic acid-rich fat could be because intestinal absorption of fat is poor or subsequent plasma and/or tissue metabolism of fat is different. To investigate mechanisms involved, we compared intestinal digestion, uptake, and lymphatic transport of glycerol tristearate (TS) and glycerol trioleate (TO, 18:1). Two groups of rats bearing intestinal lymph fistulas were used. TO rats were fed intraduodenally for 8 h at a constant rate a lipid emulsion of 25 mumols/h of TO (labeled with glycerol tri[9,10 (n)-3H]oleate), 7.8 mumols of egg phosphatidylcholine, and 57 mumols of sodium taurocholate in 3 ml of phosphate-buffered saline. TS rats were fed the same lipid emulsion except that TS replaced TO and the emulsion was labeled with glyceryl [1,3-14C]tristearate. The lymph triglyceride and radioactivity were determined. After infusion, the luminal and mucosal radioactive lipid content was analyzed. The results showed that there was significantly less lipid transported in the lymph of TS rats compared with TO rats. The results also showed a significant decrease in the absorption of TS as compared with TO. This was due in part to poor lipolysis. In addition, the lipid absorbed by the intestine of the TS rats was transported into lymph less efficiently than in TO rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)