Abstract
Long-term feeding trials of male New Zealand White rabbits were carried out with low-fat cholesterol-free semipurified diets containing casein or soy protein isolate as the source of protein. Young rabbits fed the casein diet from 6 to 8 weeks of age for 10 months rapidly became hypercholesterolemic and maintained high cholesterol levels throughout the experiment. At autopsy, all rabbits showed extensive aortic lesions. In young rabbits fed the soy protein diet, low plasma cholesterol levels were maintained for the 10-month period, and aortic lesions were minimal. Analysis of plasma lipoproteins midway through these experiments, showed the excess cholesterol in the casein-fed animals was present mainly in the intermediate density fraction (d = 1.006−1.019), although the cholesterol content of very low density and low density lipoproteins was also increased. Mature rabbits fed the casein diet from 6 months of age did not become significantly hypercholesterolemic until they had been on the diet for 6 months and the final cholesterol level achieved after 9 months on diet was less than that seen in the young rabbits. Those fed the soy protein isolate diet maintained low plasma cholesterol levels throughout the 9-month period.
Published Version
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