Changes in Fatty Acid Composition in Liver Lipid Fractions of Pyridoxine-deficient Rats Fed Cholesterol

Abstract

This study was made to determine whether changes in fatty acid patterns of liver phospholipids and sterol esters accompanied the decreases in esterified sterol previously observed in pyridoxine-deficient rats. The diets included: (a) basal casein-5% cottonseed oil-sucrose diet; (b) basal diet plus cholesterol; (c) basal diet plus taurocholate; (d) basal diet plus cholesterol and taurocholate. Cholesterol was added to exaggerate the need for oleate and arachidonate since this stress might provide added information on unsaturated fatty acid metabolism in pyridoxine deficiency. Taurocholate was added to increase cholesterol absorption. These diets, with or without pyridoxine, were fed to male weanling rats for 6 weeks. Food intake of controls was restricted to the food intake of the corresponding deficient groups. Phospholipid tended to be lower in the deficient groups and liver sterol ester was significantly lower. All deficient groups showed a significant decrease in oleate in all lipid fractions, compared with their respective controls. Arachidonate and linoleate were significantly higher in sterol esters in all deficient groups. It was concluded 1) that pyridoxine deficiency significantly alters the metabolism of dietary and endogenous cholesterol and 2) that decreases in monoenoic acids in pyridoxine deficiency may be related to insulin insufficiency.