In-vivo incorporation of omega 3 fatty acids into membrane lipids of rat salivary glands and changes in adenylate-cyclase activity.

Dietary omega 3 fatty acids from menhaden oil were incorporated into membrane phospholipids of submandibular salivary glands (SMSG). Eicosapentaenoic (20:5), docosapentaenoic (22:5) and docosahexaenoic (22:6) acids constituted about 20 per cent of the total fatty acids in phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine fractions of the SMSG plasma membranes of rats fed for 6 weeks a diet containing 10 per cent menhaden oil. The changes in fatty-acid composition of the membrane phospholipids were accompanied by higher adenylate-cyclase activity in the SMSG membranes of rats fed 10 per cent menhaden oil than in rats fed 10 per cent corn oil or 8 per cent coconut oil + 2 per cent corn oil. However, there were no diet-related differences in the fold-stimulation of adenylate-cyclase activity.