Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids enhance the uptake of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ester by rat adipocytes.

Compared with diets high in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (20% lard by weight), diets high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (20% sunflower oil) alter the fatty acid composition of rat adipocyte plasma membranes and enhance HDL2 binding. We examined the effect of these two diets on HDL1 and HDL2 apolipoprotein and cholesterol uptake by adipocytes isolated from perirenal and epididymal adipose tissue of male Wistar rats. Consistent with selective cellular uptake. HDL esterified cholesterol uptake was 3-10-fold higher than predicted from HDL apolipoproteins associated with adipocytes. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids significantly enhanced apolipoprotein and esterified-cholesterol uptakes from HDL2 by perirenal adipocytes. This effect of dietary fat composition was adipose-region (perirenal greater than epididymal) and HDL-subfraction (HDL2 greater than HDL1) specific. Thus, diet-induced changes known to alter membrane phospholipid composition and increase HDL2 binding are also associated with enhanced HDL2-esterified-cholesterol uptake by adipocytes.