American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 10, 217-224, Copyright © 1962 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Lipids of the Atherosclerotic Femoral Artery

Changes after Corn Oil Supplementation of the Diet

¹ From the First Medical Service, Department of Clinical Chemistry and First Surgical Service, Sahlgrenska Sjukhuset, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden

The composition of the fatty acids in the different lipids in the atherosclerotic femoral artery was determined. The femoral artery specimens were obtained when the patients were treated surgically for atherosclerotic disease.

On an ordinary diet the fatty acid composition of the artery lipids was almost similar to the composition in serum, in regard to cholesterol esters and glycerides plus unesterified fatty acids. There was a considerable difference, in the phospholipids with lower values for the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the artery walls. This discrepancy is probably due to a higher concentration of sphingomyelin in the artery walls than in serum, as judged from the molar quotient, phospholipid fatty acids: lipid phosphorus.

When polyunsaturated fatty acids were supplied in the diet, the degree of polyunsaturation of the serum lipids rose markedly. These changes were followed by the same phenomenon in the artery wall, observed in the cholesterol esters and in the glycerides plus unesterified fatty acids, but here a considerably longer period of time was required for the changes to be observable. This indicates an exchange between the lipids or the fatty acids in serum and in the artery wall.