Abstract
Free [
3H] cholesterol, various [
3H] cholesterol esters and [
3H]cholesterol-[
14C]linolenate were implanted subcutaneously in rats. Three weeks after implantation [
3H] cholesterol linolenate and arachidonate were resorbed to a significantly greater extent than free [
3H]cholesterol, [
3H] cholesterol linolenate and the more saturated labelled sterol esters. [
3H]Cholesterol was more rapidly mobilized than the saturated and monounsaturated [
3H] cholesterol esters. The resorption of esterified cholesterol did not appear to depend on rapid hydrolysis of the fatty acid moiety and slow removal of the sterol nucleus, for
3H and
14C labels disappeared at nearly equal rates from implants of [
3H]cholesterol-[l-
14C]linolenate. Addition of antioxidants to the polyunsaturated ester implants did not significantly accelerate resorption, even though it did reduce chromolipid formation. We infer that esterification of cholesterol with linolenic or arachidonic acids would accelerate its removal from the normal or atherosclerotic arterial wall.