The role of pyridoxine in the metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids in rats.

Isotopic data reported by Mead, Steinberg, and Howton in 1953 (1) and by Steinberg, Slaton, Howton, and Mead in 1956 (2) firmly established the incorporation of acetate and of linoleate, respectively, into arachidonic acid in the rat. Witten and Holman in 1952 (3) had suggested that pyridoxine stimulated this conversion. They had shown that rats deficient in essential fatty acids and in pyridoxine synthesized less arachidonic acid when given linoleate than did those deficient in essential fatty acids alone or the doubly deficient rats given pyridoxine. The purpose of the present studies was to determine whether or not pyridoxine deficiency is specifically concerned in the conversion of linoleic to arachidonic acid and to identify the organs or tissues most susceptible to a deficiency. Our results indicate that pyridosine is not concerned specifically with the conversion of linoleic to arachidonic acid but may affect in a general manner the metabolism of the saturated and monounsaturated as well as polyunsaturated acids.