title: Consumption of casein instead of soybean protein produces a transient rise in the concentration of sphingomyelin in VLDL in rats.
abstract: In rats fed cholesterol-rich diets, dietary casein vs. soybean protein raises VLDL cholesterol concentrations. Because sphingomyelin may be an essential, structural component of VLDL, we tested whether casein feeding would raise VLDL-sphingomyelin. Rats were fed cholesterol-rich semipurified diets containing either soybean protein (35 g/100 g) or casein for up to 21 d. Consistent with previous work, casein consumption increased hepatic and VLDL cholesterol concentrations. Dietary casein also significantly raised the amount of sphingomyelin in the VLDL fraction, but this effect was transient. Casein feeding transiently lowered LDL- and HDL-2-sphingomyelin concentrations. We suggest that an increase in hepatic VLDL secretion after casein consumption imposed an increased demand for sphingomyelin in the liver. The activity of key enzymes of sphingomyelin synthesis, i.e., serine palmitoyltransferase, phosphatidylcholine:ceramide phosphocholinetransferase and phosphatidylethanolamine:ceramide phosphoethanolaminetransferase and sphingomyelin degradation, i.e., acid sphingomyelinase, were enhanced and depressed, respectively, by casein consumption. Again these effects were transient. Thus, these data indicate that the extra sphingomyelin needed after short-term casein feeding came about through enhanced rates of biosynthesis and reduced rates of degradation in the liver. In addition, plasma transfer of sphingomyelin from HDL-2 to VLDL might have contributed to the increase in VLDL sphingomyelin in the casein-fed rats. This study shows that dietary casein vs. soybean protein transiently influences sphingomyelin metabolism in rats.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Biochemistry and Departments of Nutrition and Laboratory Animal Science, Graduate School of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Geelen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Hoorn
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Beynen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002364:Caseins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D030262:Soybean Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D002364:Caseins; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D030262:Soybean Proteins; D013109:Sphingomyelins; D002784:Cholesterol