Cholesterol esters of rat hearts of linoleic acid fed rats stimulate prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) synthetase activity.

Rats fed a diet rich or poor in linoleic acid (LA) for 25 weeks were used for investigation into whether the cholesterol ester (CE) of rate hearts influences the conversion of PGH2 to PGI2 by the microsomal fraction of pig aorta. The CE of rats fed the LA rich diet increased PGI2 synthesis after 4 weeks and even more after 25 weeks, whereas CE from rats fed the LA poor diet decreased PGI2 synthetase activity.