Cholesterol metabolism in serum and aorta of inbred mice fed a high-cholesterol diet.
Biochemical characterization of the serum and aorta in inbred C57BL/6Cr mice fed a high-cholesterol diet was investigated by determining the total cholesterol (TC) and free cholesterol (FC) levels in serum, high density lipoprotein (HDL) and aorta. Serum lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity was also determined. A modified fluoroenzymatic method for microdetermination of cholesterol was successfully used. TC and FC levels of the aorta in the mice were significantly increased by the high-cholesterol diet. Serum TC and FC levels of mice fed the high-cholesterol diet were increased about 80% and 110%, respectively, compared with the control. On the other hand, both HDL-TC and HDL-FC levels were decreased about 50%. The HDL-TC/serum-TC ratio was markedly decreased, while the atherogenic index was markedly increased with the high-cholesterol diet. LCAT activity was also strikingly decreased. A positive correlation was observed between LCAT activity and HDL-cholesterol. These changes in the serum may facilitate cholesterol accumulation in the aorta. The results indicate that a biochemical approach using mice may be possible for drug evaluation.
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D002784:Cholesterol; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase