Rat mesenteric lymph contains all serum apolipoproteins. However, it is uncertain whether some of these apolipoproteins are derived from intestinal synthesis or are transferred from plasma. We compared lymph apolipoprotein composition, concentrations, and transport rates in normal rats and in rats treated with pharmacologic doses of ethinyl estradiol which have negligible concentrations of serum lipids and apolipoproteins. Lymph apolipoproteins were examined before and after duodenal lipid infusion. Lymph d less than 1.006 and 1.006-1.21 g/ml lipoproteins were isolated and SDS-electrophoresis was performed using 10 and 3.5% polyacrylamide. During lipid absorption, lymph flow increased in control but not in treated rats. Control lymph contained all major apolipoproteins, but lymph from ethinyl estradiol-treated rats contained only apoB, A-I, and A-IV. Two apoB bands were noted on 3.5% gels in control lymph, but only the lower molecular weight protein was found in lymph from ethinyl estradiol-treated rats. In control rats, transport rates for apoA-I, A-IV, E, and C proteins increased during lipid absorption, but only in the case of A-IV was this a reflection of increased apolipoprotein concentration and not the enhanced lymph flow. In ethinyl estradiol-treated rats only the A-IV transport rate increased due to lipid infusion. It is concluded that in the ethinyl estradiol-treated rat 1) the intestine does not synthesize apoE, C, or the high molecular weight apoB; 2) lymphatic output of A-IV is predominantly increased during lipid absorption; and 3) since plasma apolipoprotein concentrations are negligible, lymph lipoproteins from ethinyl estradiol-treated rats may represent a close approximation to nascent particles of intestinal origin.