Abstract
The effect of essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency on the lipid composition of basolateral plasma membranes (BPM) from intestinal mucosal cells was investigated in weaning pigs fed control or EFA-deficient diets for 12 weeks. The phospholipid and cholesterol contents relative to protein were similar in both groups, showing a cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio of 0.6. The distribution of phospholipid classes was also unaffected by the diet. In contrast, fatty acid profiles of the two phospholipid main classes, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidyl-ethanolamine were altered by EFA deficiency. Linoleic acid (18:2n-6) was largely reduced, whereas arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) only slightly decreased in EFA-deficient pigs. The unsaturation index was essentially maintained by high levels of oleic acid (18:1n-9) and by conversion of oleic acid to 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid (20:3n-9). Finally, during the period of EFA deficiency, the lipid composition of BPM of the intestinal mucosal cells was little affected, suggesting a preferential uptake of 20:4n-6 and (or) precursor mobilized from other tissues. However, an effect of dietary treatment on the function of membrane-associated proteins cannot be ruled out.
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