The fatty acid pattern of adipose tissue and liver triglycerides according to fat droplet size in liver parenchymal cells of diabetic subjects

In 40 diabetic inpatients the fatty acid pattern of triglycerides in liver fat and in subcutaneous adipose tissue was determined by gas liquid chromatography. With rising size of fat droplets in liver parenchymal cells there was a significant increase of palmitic acid (C∶16), oleic acid (C 18∶1) and linoleic acid (C 18∶2) as well as a decrease of myristoleic acid (C 14∶1), arachidonic (C 20∶4) and eicosapentaenoic acid (C 20∶5) in liver triglycerides, resulting in a fatty acid composition in big droplets similar to that of adipose tissue. Fatty acid pattern of subcutaneous depot fat was strikingly constant.