Objective To investigate the influences of high trans fatty acids (TFA) intake on fatty-acid constitution ratios of erythrocyte membrane in rabbits.

Method 32 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: control group with common feed; high TFA group with additional TFA 5.0 g/kg.d; high-fat (HF) group with high cholesterol feed and TFA+HF group. The erythrocyte membranes were prepared at 0, 4, 8, 12 weeks. Two kinds of saturated FA (C18:0 and C16:0), four kinds of unsaturated FA (C18:1, C18:2, C20:4, C20:5 and total ω−3) and two kinds of TFA (t-C18:1 and t-C16:1) in erythrocyte membrane were determined with gas chroma. Four constitution ratios of C18:1/C18:0, C18:1/t-C18:1, ω−3/∑TFA and ω−3/C18:0 were calculated.

Results Compared with the control group, TFA group showed not only obviously higher constitution ratios of TFA, but obviously higher ratios of saturated FA and lower ratios of polyunsaturated FA, especially ω−3 FA (2.38±0.35 vs 3.28±0.48, p<0.05), in erythrocyte membrane. The abnormality of constitution ratios of unsaturated FA and polyunsaturated FA in TFA were similar to that in HF group. More abnormal changes of erythrocyte membrane FA constitution ratios were showed in TFA+HF group.

Conclusions High TFA intake could increase the constitution ratios of TFA and saturated fatty acids, but decrease polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially ω−3 fatty acids, in erythrocyte membrane. These effects were equivalent with the effects of high cholesterol intake. Combined with TFA and high cholesterol intake had obviously synergistic effects.