Fatty acid ethyl ester synthesis by the isolated perfused rat heart.

Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs), nonoxidative by-products of ethanol metabolism, are found in various tissues and plasma after ethanol ingestion and may be responsible for some of the pathological changes observed in alcohol-consuming individuals. Previous studies demonstrated that several different enzymes, including lipoprotein lipase (LPL), can catalyze FAEE synthesis in vitro. We report that LPL catalyzes FAEE synthesis in isolated rat hearts perfused with chylomicrons in the presence of ethanol. Most of the FAEEs accumulated in the perfusate, suggesting that in vivo, plasma FAEEs derive from LPL-mediated synthesis. Our results are the first demonstration of the direct involvement of a specific enzyme, LPL, in FAEE synthesis under physiological conditions.