Intestinal absorption of radioactive long-chain saturated fatty acids by the larval dragon-fly Aeshna cyanea and co-absorptive effects of other stable fatty acids

Differential absorption and esterification of dietary long-chain fatty acids by larvae of the dragonfly, Aeshna cyanea

In order to evaluate whether dietary long-chain fatty acids were differentially absorbed, Aeshna cyanea larvae received 5 microliters oral doses containing combinations of two radiolabeled fatty acids at nearly equal radioactive and nmolar concentrations: (1) 3H-oleic and 14C-palmitic acids; (2) 3H-oleic and 14C-stearic acids; and (3) 3H-palmitic and 14C-stearic acids. After 3 h or 1 day, hemolymph samples, midgut tissue, midgut contents and fat body tissue were collected and assayed for labeled fatty acids. The 3H/14C ratios indicated that there was a preference for absorption of the monounsaturated oleic acid over both saturated palmitic and stearic acids and that the shorter palmitic acid was absorbed at a higher rate than the longer stearic acid. There were also differences in the 3H/14C ratios of the various lipid classes of the midgut wall, hemolymph, and fat body that reflected differential esterifications and transport of these fatty acids.

Digestion of phosphatidylcholines, absorption, and esterification of lipolytic products by Aeshna cyanea larvae as studied in vivo and in vitro

Digestion and absorption of phosphatidylcholine by Aeshna cyanea larvae were studied in vivo and in vitro with the isolated digestive juice and isolated midgut. The experiments were performed with stable ether analogues (1-alkyl-2-acyl-,1,2-dialkyl phosphatidylcholine, and 1-monoalkyl-lysophosphatidylcholine), with radioactive 1,2-diacylphosphatidylcholine alternatively labelled in the acyl- and choline moieties, and with several phosphatidylcholine derivatives (1- [1-14C]acyl- and 1-[3H] alkyl-lysophosphatidylcholine, [1-14C]oleic acid, [2-14C]glycerol, phosphoryl[methyl-14C]choline, and [methyl-14C]choline). Chromatographic analyses of the digestion products revealed that phosphatidylcholine was degraded via two interconnected hydrolytic pathways involving phospholipase C, phospholipase A2, lipase, and alkaline phosphatase. Complete hydrolysis by these pathways yielded the same four end products: free fatty acid, glycerol, choline, and Pi, which were absorbed by the midgut enterocytes. Of the intermediate hydrolysates, lysophosphatidylcholine, monoacylglycerol, and possibly phosphorylcholine were also absorbed. Radiolabelled oleic acid, glycerol, lysophosphatidylcholine and monoacylglycerol (as judged from monoacylglycerol absorption) were incorporated into phospholipids and acylglycerols of the midgut enterocytes and were released into the haemolymph primarily in the form of diacylglycerols. In the case of glycerol ingestion, a small fraction of haemolymph radioactivity was associated with free glycerol and glycerolphosphate. After absorption by the enterocytes, radiolabelled choline was partly oxidized to betaine, partly phosphorylated, and partly incorporated into lyso- and phosphatidylcholine. It was recovered from the haemolymph predominantly as free choline, phosphorylcholine, and betaine.

Is monoacylglycerol as an intermediate of triacylglycerol digestion absorbed by Aeshna cyanea larvae?

The isolated digestive juice of Aeshna cyanea larvae hydrolysed trioleoylglycerol preferentially at the terminal 1 and 3 positions, yielding 1, 2-dioleoylglycerol as first intermediate. Hydrolysis continued to 1- and 2-monooleoylglycerol as second intermediate. Separate incubation of monooleoylglycerol revealed that hydrolysis could proceed to completion. Inadequate inhibition of mono[1-14C]oleoylglycerol hydrolysis in the cold and in the presence of the lipase inhibitor tetrahydrolipstatin provided no information on whether monooleoylglycerol was absorbed in addition to free oleic acid. On the other hand, the analogue oleylglyceryl ethers were resistant towards hydrolysis by the digestive juice. Both monoethers and both diethers were esterified with [1-14C]palmitic acid by the homogenate of the midgut wall, whereas esterification in vivo occurred only with the monoethers. These were recovered from the haemolymph after saponification of the joint diacylglycerol and acyl-0-alkylglycerol fraction, indicating that the monoethers had been absorbed and transported into the haemolymph. Ingestion of mono-1-0-[3H]octadecylglycerol showed that the ether was absorbed unchanged by the midgut epithelium, where the major part of the alkyl moiety was oxidized to free fatty acid and incorporated into phospholipids, acylglycerols and acyl-0-alkylglycerols. It is concluded from the absorption of the analogous monoalkylglyceryl ethers that monoacylglyceryl esters are also absorbed by Aeshna larvae.