Effect of dietary casein, fats and saline on the atheromatous lesions of the aorta, coronary arteries and renal small arteries in rats.

Abstract

Male albino rats of the Donryu strain weighing 120 g were fed high-fat (40%) atherogenic diets with two casein levels for 16 weeks. Either hydrogenated kapok oil or butter fat was used in the diet. One % saline or tap water was offered as drinking water. The rats fed high casein (31%) diets showed remarkably high growth, and their serum cholesterol levels were about one half of those of low casein (11%) groups. One % saline increased slightly the serum cholesterol levels. Fatty lesions of the arteries in the heart, kidneys, aortae, and renal glomeruli of rats fed high casein diets were milder compared to those of low casein groups, and all the lesions except for those of renal glomeruli were potentiated by the saline administration. The lesions of coronary arteries, cardiac muscles, and glomeruli of the hydrogenated oil group were severer than those of the butter fat group although serum cholesterol level of the former was somewhat lower than the latter. However, atheromatous lesion of aortae was severer in the butter fat group. No intimal lesion of the arteries was observed in kidneys and the lipids in media were seen along adventitia.