Dietary restriction influences bile formation in aging rats

Abstract

Food restriction is one of the most effective interventions which increases the survival of rodents and influences a variety of physiologic and pathologic processes. Thus, we examined whether life-long caloric restriction would influence bile formation, one of the important hepatic functions. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected soon after weaning to a restricted diet (60% of the diet consumed by the rats fed ad libitum) and bile formation determined at 3.5, 12 and 24 months of age. Rats had their bile ducts cannulated under nembutal anesthesia and bile collected at 10 min. intervals. Bile flow rate decreased 35% between 3.5 and 24 months of age. This decrease was associated with a reduction of the bile acid dependent fraction of bile flow (BADF) up to 12 months of age, thereafter the bile acid independent fraction (BAIF) also decreased. Phospholipid and cholesterol secretion rates increased with age, but did not correlate with bile acid secretion. In rats fed the restricted diet, bile flow was about 20% higher at 3–5 months of age when compared with the ad libitum fed group. This bile flow rate remained constant until 24 months of age. The increased bile flow was attributed to higher BADF and BAIF. The phospholipid and cholesterol secretion followed that of bile acids. It thus appears that dietary restriction exerts a beneficial effect on the age related decline in bile formation.