Impact of Se‐glutathione peroxidase‐1 (GPX1) null on liver and plasma lipid profiles of male mice fed two dietary levels of fat

Abstract

We previously observed a moderate effect of GPX1 null (GPX1−/−) on plasma lipid profile in young adult female mice fed a high fat diet. The objective of the present study was to assess that effect of GPX1 null in weanling (3‐wk old) male mice. In Exp. 1, 8 GPX1−/− and 8 wild‐type (WT) mice were fed a Torula‐yeast‐sucrose based diet (0.4 mg Se/kg) for 6 wk and killed to assay for concentrations of total cholesterol, total triglycerides, and total non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA). Compared with the WT, GPX1−/− mice had 33 and 14% lower (P < 0.05) NEFA concentrations in plasma and liver, respectively. The GPX1−/− mice also showed 21% lower (P < 0.05) hepatic total cholesterol concentration than the WT. In Exp. 2, littermates of GPX1−/−, GPX1+/−, and WT (n = 6 per genotype) were fed a high fat diet (28% coconut butter, 58% calories from fat) for 6 wk. Plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, total triglycerides, and NEFA were similar among the three genotypes at the end of the trial. Concentrations of these three measures in liver were 9 to 13% lower in the GPX1−/− mice than the WT, but the differences were not statistically significant. In summary, impacts of GPX1 null on lipid profiles of young male mice were also moderate and seemed to vary with dietary fat intake (NIH DK 53018 TO XGL).