Occurrence of unusual hexadecenoate fatty acids in hepatoma lipids.

Cis-hexadecenoates isolated from rat liver and hepatoma 7288CTC lipids were analyzed for positional isomers by ozonolysis and capillary gas liquid chromatography. In addition to the delta 6, delta 7, delta 9 and delta 11 isomers found in both tissues, the hepatoma neutral and polar lipids contained relatively high percentages of delta 12 and delta 14 hexadecenoates that were virtually absent from liver. The occurrence of these unusual fatty acids may result from an error in lipid metabolism in the hepatoma.