Dietary free fatty acids have been reported to have various effects on the endothelium
including the generation of nitric oxide. The goal of the current study was to determine the
mechanism whereby free fatty acid causes an increase in nitric oxide synthesis. The specific
hypothesis tested was that free fatty acid association with CD36, a class B scavenger
receptor, induces the activation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS). A human
microvascular endothelial cell line and a transfected Chinese hamster ovary cell system …