Erythrocyte plasma membrane perturbations in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet: effect of drinking sulphurous mineral water.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the ability of calcic and magnesic-sulphate-sulphurous spring mineral water (SMW) to reduce total and erythrocyte plasma membrane cholesterol in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet.


METHODS
By using different fluorescent probes, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH), 1-[4-(trimethylamino)phenyl]-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-triene (TMA-DPH) and Laurdan, a possible correlation was evaluated between cholesterol content changes of the membranes and membrane fluidity.


RESULTS
The results clearly show that hydropinic treatment reduced cholesterol level. No significant change was observed in DPH and TMA-DPH anisotropy values. By using Laurdan, an increase was observed in generalized polarization (GP(340)) in both groups of rats (the one that drank tap water and the one that drank SMW) compared with the controls. The rate of haemolysis was reduced in those erythrocyte suspensions in which cholesterol was increased, even if the enzymatic activity of glutathione peroxidase and catalase decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Hydropinic treatment with SMW is of interest from the biomedical point of view, because it could represent an alternative approach in interventions aimed at ameliorating biological injury deriving from hypercholesterolaemia.
Nasuti
Cinzia
C
Dottorato di Ricerca in Invecchiamento e Nutrizione, Università di Camerino, Camerino, Italy.
Gabbianelli
Rosita
R
Cantalamessa
Franco
F
Falcioni
Giancarlo
G
D015081:2-Naphthylamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007848:Laurates; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects*; D008900:Mineral Waters / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007848:Laurates; D008900:Mineral Waters; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; C033628:1-(4-(trimethylamino)phenyl)-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-triene; D002784:Cholesterol; D015081:2-Naphthylamine; C065580:laurdan