Effect of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids rich diets on hepatic and adipose tissue lipid metabolism in rats.

To examine the relationship between the type of dietary fat on liver and adipose tissue metabolism, in this study, fresh weight, protein, DNA, lipid content, and rate of lipogenesis from 3H2O of liver and retroperitoneal (RET) and epididymal (EPI) adipose tissues were assessed in rats fed polyunsaturated omega-6 (PUFA), saturated medium chain (SMC) or saturated long chain (SLC) fatty acid rich chows and control chow (CC). The results obtained indicate that fatty acid rich diets decreased liver fresh weight, protein and DNA content. However, they increased lipid content in liver and carcasses without changing the weight of RET and EPI. The rate of lipogenesis in vivo was increased by SMC and PUFA in liver and RET. These results indicate that not only the lipid content of diet but also the type of fatty acid caused metabolic alterations both in liver and white adipose tissues.