Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 13, 268-275, March 1972
Copyright © 1972 by Lipid Research, Inc.

Very low density lipoproteins and lipoprotein lipase in serum of rats deficient in essential fatty acids

G. G. de Pury and F. D. Collins

Russell Grimwade School of Biochemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia

Rats fed a diet deficient in essential fatty acids have a low level of serum very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). It was found that after intraperitoneal injection of heparin, deficient rats had a higher level of lipoprotein lipase activity in their plasma than did normal rats. VLDL isolated from serum of normal and deficient rats were compared as substrates for postheparin lipase of rat plasma. There was no significant difference in V_max between the two preparations of lipoproteins, but the apparent K_m for lipoproteins from deficient animals was significantly less than that for normal animals. These observations suggest that the low concentration of VLDL in deficient rats may be explained (a) by an increased activity of lipoprotein lipase in the tissues of these animals and (b) by the VLDL of deficient rats being more rapidly hydrolyzed at low concentrations by lipoprotein lipase than VLDL from normal rats.

Supplementary key words fatty acid composition • phospholipids • triglycerides • cholesteryl esters • heparin • enzyme kinetics

Submitted on October 21, 1970
Revised on August 11, 1971
Accepted on November 5, 1971

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