title: Gender and dietary fat affect alpha-tocopherol status in F344/N rats.
abstract: For four weeks, groups of eight male and eight female F344/N rats were fed diets containing 15.5, 20, 30 or 40% of energy (en%) as fat. The fat was composed of corn oil and beef tallow with 9 en% from linoleate in all diets. Females had greater mean hepatic alpha-tocopherol levels, whereas males had greater plasma alpha-tocopherol and cholesterol concentrations. In males, the plasma ratio of alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol was significantly greater than in females (P < 0.05). Plasma alpha-tocopherol increased with increasing en% fat (r = 0.51, P < 0.001) in both sexes, but dietary fat did not alter hepatic alpha-tocopherol levels. These results suggest that plasma alpha-tocopherol may serve as a biomarker of total dietary fat intake and that in F344/N rats gender differences affect alpha-tocopherol and cholesterol status.
authors: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames 50011.
authors: H W
authors: HW
authors: Chen
authors: L R
authors: LR
authors: Cook
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Hendrich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003314:Corn Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014810:Vitamin E; D003314:Corn Oil; D002784:Cholesterol; D019787:Linoleic Acid