The incorporation of 14C-palmitate into various classes of tissue
lipids by isolated adult dog heart myocytes was studied in an attempt to understand the pathophysiology of myocardial dysfunction during endotoxic
shock. The results showed that the incorporation of 14C-palmitate into
phospholipids was increased by 85.3% and 108.8% at 0.5 hours and two hours, respectively, following
endotoxin (0.5 mg Escherichia coli
lipopolysaccharide B per kg
body weight) administration. Incorporation of radioactive
palmitate into
triglycerides was increased by 50.9% and 107.2% at 0.5 and two hours, respectively, postendotoxin. Incorporation of 14C-palmitate into
diglycerides was stimulated by 51.9% and 64.5% at 0.5 and two hours, respectively, after
endotoxin injection. The incorporation of 14C-palmitate into tissue-
free fatty acids and unaltered at 0.5 hours but it was increased by 211.7% at two hours postendotoxin. These data demonstrated that myocardial
membrane lipid profile was greatly altered by increased incorporation of 14C-palmitate into
phospholipids and neutral
lipids after
endotoxin administration. An alteration in myocardial
lipid profile, as reported in this study, may contribute to the development of myocardial dysfunction during
shock.