Tocopherols and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Human Tissues

Five tissues from three adults who died suddenly and three adult cancer victims were analyzed for alpha- and gamma-tocopherols and fatty acids. When compared with two reports in 1949 and 1958, the three presumably normal subjects had alpha-tocopherol concentrations in liver, muscle and adipose tissue in about the same range as earlier, but heart was twice as high and lung was three times higher than earlier. The content of gamma-tocopherol in all tissues was considerably higher than in 1949 or 1958. Tissues from cancer patients were no lower in alpha-tocopherol than tissues from normal subjects. Adipose tissue from three of the six subjects contained linoleic acid exceeding 15 per cent of total fatty acids. Tocopherols in these subjects, expressed on a tissue weight or tissue lipid basis, were not remarkable. The molar ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to alpha-tocopherol in heart and lung was calculated and its possible use in evaluating vitamin E status is discussed.