Effects of soybean phospholipid, chlorella phospholipid, and clofibrate on collagen and elastin synthesis in the aorta and on the serum and liver lipid contents in rats

Abstract

The effects of antilipemic agents, soybean polyunsaturated phospholipid (SP), clofibrate, and chlorella phospholipid (CP), on the serum and liver lipid contents and on the synthesis of collagen and elastin in the thoracic aorta in rats were investigated. SP (1%), CP (1%), and clofibrate (0.1%) were added to the basal diet, and the diets were given for 5 weeks to rats from 10 to 15 weeks old. Serum cholesterol and phospholipid contents and liver cholesterol and triglyceride contents were significantly decreased in rats fed CP and clofibrate containing diet compared to the control animals. The contents of collagen and elastin in the thoracic aorta were not changed by CP or clofibrate, although in rats fed the SP-containing diet, incorporation of hydroxyproline from proline into elastin increased. However, the prolin hydroxylase activity in the thoracic aorta was significantly increased (twofold) in CP and clofibrate rats compared to the control and SP animals. In spite of the fact that clofibrate and CP activate the proline hydroxylase activity in the aorta, collagen and elastin content and the incorporation of proline as hydroxyproline into collagen and elastin in the aorta did not increase.