Absorption Properties of Micellar Lipid Metabolites into Caco2 Cells

Abstract To elucidate the absorption characteristics of dietary lipids in the human intestine, we investigated the cellular uptake of lipid metabolites using a differential monolayer of the Caco2 cells. As lipid metabolites, several free fatty acids and 2‐monoacylglycerols, were formed a mixed micelle by bile salts and lysophospholipids and they were supplied to the Caco2 cells. To estimate the effect of the mixed micelles on the permeability of cells’ membranes during incubation with the mixed micelles, the transepitherial electrical resistance (TEER) value was monitored, and no pronounced changes of TEER was detected. This suggested that mixed micelles did not affect their cellular properties of the barrier measured by TEER. The lipid metabolites transferred from the mixed micelle into the Caco2 cells were determined quantitatively by an enzymatic colorimetric method and were done by thin layer chromatography (TLC) for a species of acylglycerols. These highly sensitive methods enabled us to monitor the transepithelial transports of various kinds of non‐isotope‐labeled various lipid metabolites. Newly re‐synthesized triacylglycerols were accumulated in Caco2 cells after 30 min incubation with the mixed micelles, and their amounts increased gradually for 4 h. The secretion of re‐esterified triacylglycerols into a basolateral medium from the Caco2 cells began at 2 h after the mixed micelles were added to the apical medium. The intake of external lipid metabolites by the Caco2 cells were evaluated by an initial 2‐h incubation with the mixed micelles. For example, 2‐monomyristin and 2‐monopalmitin were more rapidly transferred into the Caco2 cells from the mixed micelles than 2‐monocaprin was. On the other hand, the absorption rates of capric acid, lauric acid and myristic acid by the cells were larger than those of stearic acid and oleic acid. It revealed that the side‐chain structure of these lipid metabolites affected their absorption by the Caco2 cells. The results of this study suggested that the Caco2 cell monolayer could be a useful model for investigating the involvement of dietary lipids in the transepithelial absorption in the human intestine.