The effect of concanavalin A on the incorporation of fatty acids into lymphocyte phospholipids.

The incorporation of radioactively labeled palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acid into the phospholipids of lymphocytes was studied. When concanavalin A (Con A) was added a gradual increase in the incorporation was found over the period investigated (0-4 h). Changes were not detected over the first 15 min. The increased incorporation at 4 h was shown to be Con A dose dependent and the Con A concentrations for the maximum effect on fatty acid incorporation (at 4 h) and on [3H]thymidine incorporation (at 72 h) were the same. With the exception of stearic acid all the other fatty acids showed an increased incorporation into phosphatidyl choline on addition of Con A, linoleic and oleic acids also had an increased incorporation into phosphatidyl ethanolamine.