title: Dietary lectin lowers serum cholesterol and raises fecal neutral sterols in cholesterol-fed rats.
abstract: This study examined the influence of a low level of dietary lectin (0.34%), at a dose that did not affect body weight or food intake, on the concentration of serum cholesterol and fecal excretion of neutral sterols in rats fed a diet containing 0.50% cholesterol and 0.13% sodium cholate for 12 d. In experiment 1, rats fed a diet with 0.34% lectin, concanavalin A, had significantly lower concentrations of serum total cholesterol and hepatic cholesterol, a higher ratio of HDL-cholesterol to total cholesterol, enhanced excretion of fecal neutral sterols and reduced apparent cholesterol absorption or digestibility as compared with rats fed a diet without lectin. Fecal excretion of acidic sterols was unaffected by dietary lectin. In contrast, dietary 0.34% lectin had no significant effect on concentrations of serum total protein or glucose. In experiment 2, we examined whether the cholesterol-lowering activity of the lectin was responsibility for its carbohydrate-binding activity. The effect of dietary lectin on concentrations of serum and hepatic cholesterol and excretion of fecal neutral sterols was prevented by simultaneous administration of methyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside with specific affinity for the carbohydrate-binding sites of the lectin. These results suggest that dietary lectins might reduce concentrations of serum and hepatic cholesterol by a mechanism involving higher excretion of neutral sterols and that these alterations might be associated with the carbohydrate-binding activity of lectin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Life Sciences Education, Graduate School of Education, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8524, Japan. t-kayashima@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kayashima
authors.forename: Yukako
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: Tetsuyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: Kanji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008766:Methylmannosides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013261:Sterols / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008055:Lipids; D008766:Methylmannosides; D013261:Sterols; D003208:Concanavalin A; C008466:methylmannoside; D002784:Cholesterol