Serum and liver lipids in rats and chicks fed with diets containing different oils.
OBJECTIVE
Because dietary fat composition is determinant for serum cholesterol level, which is related to cardiovascular disease, we evaluated the effects of diets containing saturated (coconut oil) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (soybean oil) supplemented or not with dietary cholesterol on serum and liver lipid composition in two animal species.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats (21 d old) were assigned to one of seven groups and fed with commercial diet or diets containing 5% or 20% soybean oil or 20% coconut oil with or without 1% cholesterol. Chicks were assigned to one of four groups and fed with diets containing 15% soybean oil or 15% coconut oil with or without 1% cholesterol.


RESULTS
In rats, the accumulations of hepatic cholesterol and triacylglycerols were higher in the group fed 20% soybean oil and 1% cholesterol than in the group fed 20% coconut fat and 1% cholesterol. The highest serum levels of cholesterol and triacylglycerols were observed in the group fed coconut oil and cholesterol, compared with the group fed soybean oil and cholesterol. Triacylglycerol, high-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol serum levels increased with diet containing coconut oil and cholesterol. In chicks, the highest hepatic cholesterol accumulation occurred in the group fed 15% coconut fat and 1% cholesterol. Total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased with diet containing coconut oil and cholesterol, although none of these diets modified serum triacylglycerol levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The type of experimental animal model and the diet composition influence lipid metabolism.
Feoli
Ana M
AM
Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Roehrig
Cíntia
C
Rotta
Liane N
LN
Kruger
Adriane H
AH
Souza
Karine B
KB
Kessler
Alexandre M
AM
Renz
Sandro V
SV
Brusque
Ana M
AM
Souza
Diogo O
DO
Perry
Marcos L S
ML
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000074263:Coconut Oil; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013024:Soybean Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D008055:Lipids; D010938:Plant Oils; D014280:Triglycerides; D013024:Soybean Oil; D002784:Cholesterol; D000074263:Coconut Oil