Changes in relative levels of linoleate to arachidonate in erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine in rats fed ethanol and arachidonate.

Young male Sprague--Dawley rats were fed ad lib. for 4 weeks a liquid diet containing 34% of the calories as ethanol and 35% as fat (25 wt % linoleate). The ratio of the levels of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid (18:2/20:4) in erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine (PC) from alcohol-fed rats was greater than that from rats fed an isocaloric control diet. The increased 18:2/20:4 ratio in tissue lipids of animals ingesting ethanol is thought to be due to the reduced production of arachidonate from linoleate. In the present study we tested whether dietary arachidonate would mask the effects of alcohol on the 18:2/20:4 ratio in erythrocyte PC. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte PC of rats fed a diet supplemented with arachidonate showed that ethanol feeding did not alter the 18:2/20:4 ratio.