TABLE 3.

EPA and DHA are incorporated primarily into polar lipids

Treatment	NL	FFA	PL
50 µM EPA	13.0 ± 2.8	11.4 ± 4.9	75.6 ± 7.7
50 µM DHA	13.3 ± 2.6	10.9 ± 4.5	75.8 ± 1.9
50 µM PA + 50 µM EPA	11.9 ± 1.0	18.5 ± 5.6	69.6 ± 4.6
50 µM PA + 50 µM DHA	14.0 ± 2.6	6.0 ± 0.3	80.0 ± 2.4

B220⁺ B cells were treated with 50 µM EPA or DHA, spiked respectively with [¹⁴C]EPA or [¹⁴C]DHA, in the absence or presence of 50 µM PA for 48 h. Total lipids were extracted and separated into neutral lipid, FFA or polar lipid fractions using column chromatography. Incorporation of the radiolabel into different lipid classes was determined by scintillation counting. Values represent the percentage of the total radioactivity per treatment. Data are average ± SD from two independent experiments.

Abbreviations: DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; FFA, free fatty acid; NL, neutral lipid; PA, palmitic acid; PL, polar lipid.