Effects of moderate fat intake with different n-3 fatty acid sources and n-6/n-3 ratios on serum and structural lipids in rats.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on serum and membrane lipids in rats fed diets containing moderate levels of fats (6% by weight). Control rats received enough PUFA to prevent any deficiency. Experimental rats were fed linseed oil, salmon oil, or sunflower oil. After 8 weeks of feeding, fasting serum triacylglycerol and cholesterol levels were not altered in the linseed oil group. In contrast, in the salmon oil group, serum cholesterol was lowered by 58% (P < 0.05) and the specific binding of heterologous LDL to liver plasma membrane was reduced by 31% (P < 0.05). Unexpectedly, serum triacylglycerol levels were not significantly lowered (-14%) whereas they decreased (-32%; P < 0.05) in the sunflower oil group. Oleic acid, which has a stimulating effect on triacylglycerol synthesis and secretion, was less incorporated in serum and liver plasma membrane in rats fed sunflower oil than in rats fed other dietary lipids. This finding suggests that the effect of dietary sunflower oil was partly mediated by the reduction of oleic acid available for triacylglycerol synthesis.