The relationship of dietary fats to prostaglandin biosynthesis.

The direct and indirect evidence that the fatty acid composition of dietary fat is involved in the regulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis was reviewed. Direct evidence included effects of essential fatty acid deficiencies and excesses on endogenous tissue levels and production rates of prostaglandins by several tissues. Indirect evidence included lipolytic, platelet aggregatory, hypertensive, inflammatory and immune responses. In general, composition of dietary fat did not affect prostaglandin biosynthesis unless a biochemical essential fatty acid deficiency was induced or the linoleate to saturated fatty acids ratio of the dietary fat was greater than 5. Most results were interpreted in light of changing fatty acid composition; however, very few direct measurements have been made.