The effect of dietary fatty acid composition on liver retinyl ester (vitamin A ester) composition in the rat.

The dependence of liver retinyl ester (vitamin A ester) composition on dietary fatty acid composition was studied in rats. Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed purified test diets containing 8% of one of 10 test triglycerides (either tributyrin, tricaproin, tricaprylin, tricaprin, trilaurin, trimyristin, tripalmitin, tristearin, triolein, trilinolein) or corn oil (a mixed triglyceride) for 23 d after an initial 1-wk stabilization period. Essential fatty acids were provided by safflower oil (8 g/kg diet). Total liver fatty acid composition showed the expected responses to dietary fatty acid intake; short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids were readily elongated to palmitate and stearate, and palmitate and stearate were readily desaturated. Consumption of oleate or linoleate (as their triglycerides) markedly enriched their concentrations in liver lipids. The proportions of palmitate were generally greater in liver retinyl esters than in total liver fatty acids, and the proportions of oleate were less. However, retinyl ester composition was significantly affected by dietary triglyceride, particularly by diets providing long-chain fatty acids. Total liver vitamin A levels were depressed in the group fed trilinolein.