Plasma Cholesterol Concentrations Research Articles

Muscle Respiration in Rats Is Influenced by the Type and Level of Dietary Fat

Experiments were conducted to elucidate the role of muscle in the enhanced thermogenic response found in rats fed diets enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids. Isolated soleus muscle respiration and plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were determined in rats (∼128 g wt, 5 wk age) fed diets (minimum 3 wk) containing coconut oil, beef tallow or safflower oil at 20, 40 or 60% of the total dietary energy in a 3 × 3 factorial design (5–6 rats per treatment). Diet type did not affect plasma cholesterol concentrations but plasma triglycerides were lower (P < 0.01) in rats fed safflower oil-based diets. Greater levels of fat in the diet resulted in higher (P < 0.01) plasma cholesterol concentrations and lower (P < 0.01) plasma triglyceride concentrations. Rats fed coconut oil had lower (P < 0.05) rates of soleus muscle respiration compared with rats fed the other two diets. This lower respiration rate was not related to changes in protein synthesis (cycloheximide-sensitive respiration). However, this change may partially be related to enhanced Na+,K+ transport (ouabain-sensitive respiration). The results indicate that muscle is partially responsible for the enhanced thermogenic response found in rats fed diets enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids and that enhanced ion transport contributes to this response in muscle.

Corn Oil, Palm Oil and Butterfat Fractions Affect Postprandial Lipemia and Lipoprotein Lipase in Meal-Fed Rats

Our objective was to investigate the time course of postprandial lipemia and lipolytic activity in male Sprague-Dawley rats trained to eat meals containing butterfat fractions, palm oil or corn oil. Baseline and postprandial blood samples were obtained via a carotid cannula in rats fed the experimental diets for 4 wk. Rats fed saturated fats compared with corn oil showed a significantly greater peak increase in postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations. Corn oil ingestion resulted in significantly lower concentrations of cholesterol and triacylglycerol in plasma and significantly less triacylglycerol accumulation (millimoles per liter per 24 h) compared with ingestion of saturated fats. Postheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase activity and plasma insulin concentration were generally greater with ingestion of corn oil compared with palm oil or butterfat. Palm oil ingestion resulted in a biphasic plasma triacylglycerol response curve and greater postheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase activity compared with butterfat ingestion, suggesting differential effects of saturated fats on postprandial lipemia. Our results indicate that greater postprandial lipemia with ingestion of saturated fats compared with corn oil may be due in part to slower plasma triacylglycerol clearance.

Petroselinic Acid from Dietary Triacylglycerols Reduces the Concentration of Arachidonic Acid in Tissue Lipids of Rats

Studies in vitro have revealed that triacylglycerols containing petroselinoyl [18:1(n-12)] moieties are hydrolyzed by pancreatic lipase at much lower rates than other triacylglycerols. To assess the lipolysis and absorption in vivo of such unusual triacylglycerols, diets containing 120 g seed oil triacylglycerols of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) per kg diet at a level of 72 g 18:1(n-12) moieties/100 g oil were fed to a group of weaned male Wistar rats without restriction for a period of 10 wk. For comparison, groups of rats were fed similar isocaloric diets containing plant oil triacylglycerols with various levels of oleoyl [18:1(n-9)] moieties, e.g., high oleic sunflower seed oil [75 g 18:1(n-9)/100 g oil], olive oil [(66 g 18:1(n-9)/100 g oil], medium oleic rapeseed oil [54 g 18:1(n-9)/100 g oil] and conventional high linoleic sunflower seed oil [25 g 18:1(n-9)/100 g oil]. All diets were supplemented with 20 g corn oil/kg diet. Consumption of coriander oil, compared with the other oils, led to significantly greater liver weights. No significant differences were observed among the groups fed various levels of oleic acid in body weight, the weights of heart, liver, kidneys, spleen or testes, lipid content of heart, or total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations of blood plasma. Ingestion of coriander oil led to incorporation of 18:1(n-12) into heart, liver and blood lipids and to a significant reduction in the concentration of arachidonic acid in the lipids of heart, liver and blood with a concomitant increase in the concentration of linoleic acid compared with results for the other groups. Our data show that petroselinic acid from dietary triacylglycerols is absorbed by rats as readily as oleic acid, but the former reduces the concentration of arachidonic acid in tissue lipids.

Age-and sex-specific reference intervals of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol. Comparison of two algorithms for the indirect estimation of reference intervals

Abstract Objectives Reference intervals of total cholesterol concentrations in plasma and of their fractions low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-and non-HDL concentrations are seldom studied with respect to the relevance of age and sex. Therefore, the effect of age and sex on the reference intervals was reinvestigated with 2 indirect procedures. Methods As an indirect approach, the truncated minimum chi-square method was applied. All analyses were performed by computer programs available. The script published on the homepage of the German Society of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (DGKL) allows to derive a continuous age dependency of reference intervals together with their confidence and equivalence limits. The results of this approach were compared with those obtained by an indirect method developed more recently, the refineR algorithm. Results In the present study, the upper reference limits of total cholesterol varied from 5.1 to 7.8 mmol/L (197–302 mg/dL) depending on various biological variables (as age, sex, inpatients versus outpatients). These upper limits increased with age. Differences between sexes can be neglected except for the age above 80 years. The pattern of reference limits of LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol paralleled those of total cholesterol. The reference limits of HDL cholesterol were higher in women than in men but were independent of age. Conclusions Reference limits for the concentrations of total cholesterol and their fractions LDL-, HDL-and non-HDL concentrations should be stratified for age and sex.

White Wheat Flour Lowers Plasma Cholesterol and Increases Cecal Steroids Relative to Whole Wheat Flour, Wheat Bran and Wheat Pollard in Rats

Plasma cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in rats fed a cholesterol-free diet containing white wheat flour than those fed the diet with whole wheat or wheat bran. Concentrations of total bile acids and neutral sterols in cecal digesta were significantly higher in rats fed wheat flour than in those fed whole wheat, wheat pollard or wheat bran. Digesta bile acids and neutral sterol pools correlated negatively with plasma cholesterol, indicating that excretion was regulating plasma concentration. Total cecal volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were unaffected by diet but cecal propionate was higher and butyrate lower in rats fed wheat flour than in those fed whole wheat. Cecal digesta butyrate concentrations correlated negatively with the cholesterol metabolite, coprostanol, and with secondary bile acids. Cecal propionate correlated negatively with plasma cholesterol concentration, but butyrate correlated equally positively, suggesting these VFA were indicators rather than regulators of altered cecal steroid metabolism. Effects of white wheat flour on steroid metabolism and cecal VFA resemble those of oat bran and support the observation that wheat flour might be hypocholesterolemic in humans.

Postprandial Lipid Response Following a High Fat Meal in Rats Adapted to Dietary Fiber

Rats were adapted to diets containing 5 g/100 g cellulose (CL), 5 g/100 g oat bran fiber (OB) or 5 g/100 g psyllium husk (Psy) for 4 wk. Following a 12-h fast, animals were either killed at 0 h (baseline) or fed 4.5 g of a test meal that provided 50% energy from fat, then killed at 1, 4 or 6 h postprandially. Fasting plasma and HDL cholesterol concentrations were lower in Psy-fed animals than in rats fed either CL or OB. Plasma triglycerides increased significantly from baseline (0 h) in all groups but did not differ among diet treatments. Increases in triglyceride content of the chylomicron/VLDL fraction occurred in the CL- and OB-fed groups and in the HDL fraction of the Psy-fed group during the postprandial period. In unfed animals the hepatic and intestinal levels of apolipoprotein A-IV mRNA were higher in the CL-fed group than in the groups fed OB and Psy. Apolipoprotein B mRNA was higher in the intestine of the OB-fed group than in the groups fed CL and Psy and had a significant gradient along the small intestine, increasing in the distal third. The results suggest that chronic consumption of fiber is less likely to modify the acute plasma triglyceride response to a fat-containing test meal than if a fiber supplement is incorporated into the meal.

Fermentation Products of Sugar-Beet Fiber by Cecal Bacteria Lower Plasma Cholesterol Concentration in Rats

Plasma cholesterol concentration is reduced by feeding some dietary fibers but the mechanism is not fully understood. We examined whether cecal fermentation products are involved in lowering plasma cholesterol by feeding rats a highly fermentable sugar-beet fiber (SBF) in four separate experiments. These were designed to investigate the effects on plasma cholesterol of oral ingestion of fermentation products on plasma cholesterol, the effects of the products in comparison with that of a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) mixture, effects of individual SCFA and effects of alteration of energy and nitrogen ratio in the diet by the addition of the SCFA mixture. Cecal contents of rats were cultured with SBF by using a jar fermenter under anaerobic conditions, and the supernatant from the culture medium, containing fermentation products of SBF, was collected and freeze-dried before feeding to rats. Yield of fermentation products as dry weight from the fiber was 80–90%. In rats fed a diet containing fermentation products (80 g/kg diet), plasma cholesterol concentrations were lower than in rats of the fiber-free group 3, 7 and 14 d after feeding the test diet. Major SCFA in the fermentation products were sodium salts of acetic, propionic and butyric acids. Plasma cholesterol concentration in rats fed the diet containing a mixture of equal amounts of the three SCFA salts (66 g/kg diet) as the fermentation products diet was also lower than that in the fiber-free group and was not different from those in rats fed SBF (100 g/kg diet) and the fermentation products. In rats fed an acetate-containing diet but not in rats fed diets without acetate, plasma cholesterol was significantly lower than in the fiber-free group. In conclusion, absorption of SCFA from cecal fermentation products lowers plasma cholesterol. Acetate, and not propionate, may be responsible for lowering plasma cholesterol concentration.

Dietary (n-3) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Improve Adipocyte Insulin Action and Glucose Metabolism in Insulin-Resistant Rats: Relation to Membrane Fatty Acids

To study the effects of dietary fish oil on insulin-stimulated glucose metabolism in adipocytes of insulin-resistant rats (rats fed 50% sucrose and 30% fat), eighteen 5-wk-old Sprague-Dawley rats were fed, for 6 wk, a diet containing 30% fat as either fish oil (FO) or a mixture of vegetable and animal oils [control oils (CO)]. A third reference group was fed a standard diet (62% corn starch and 13% fat). At the end of the 6-wk period, the two experimental groups had comparable plasma glucose concentrations that were higher than that found in the reference group. FO feeding corrected the hyperinsulinemia of the experimental rats (P < 0.05) to reach values in the reference group. Plasma triacylglycerol (P < 0.01) and cholesterol (P < 0.001) concentrations were also lower in rats fed FO than in those fed CO. The body weights of FO-fed rats were similar to that of CO-fed rats, but epididymal adipose tissue weight was lower (P < 0.01). Adipocytes of FO-fed rats, compared with those of CO-fed rats, had high insulin-stimulated glucose transport (P < 0.05), oxidation (P < 0.001) and incorporation into total lipids (P < 0.05). The incorporation of (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids in adipocyte membrane phospholipids was higher in FO-fed rats than in those fed CO (P < 0.0001). Insulin action was positively correlated with the fatty acid unsaturation index in membrane phospholipids. Thus dietary fish oil has beneficial effects on insulinemia, plasma lipids and insulin-stimulated glucose metabolism in insulin-resistant slightly diabetic rats.

Caloric restriction increases the resistance of aged heart to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury via modulating AMPK–SIRT1–PGC1a energy metabolism pathway

A large number of data suggest that caloric restriction (CR) has a protective effect on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R) in the elderly. However, the mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we created the I/R model in vivo by ligating the mice left coronary artery for 45 min followed by reperfusion. C57BL/6J wild-type mice were randomly divided into a young group fed ad libitum (y-AL), aged fed ad libitum (a-AL) and aged calorie restriction group (a-CR, 70% diet restriction), and fed for 6 weeks. The area of myocardial infarction was measured by Evan’s blue-TTC staining, plasma cholesterol content quantified by ELISA, fatty acids and glucose measured by Langendorff working system, as well as protein expression of AMPK/SIRT1/PGC1a signaling pathway related factors in myocardial tissue detected by immunoblotting. Our results showed that CR significantly reduced infarct size in elderly mice after I/R injury, promoted glycolysis regardless of I/R injury, and restored myocardial glucose uptake in elderly mice. Compared with a-AL group, CR significantly promoted the expression of p-AMPK, SIRT1, p-PGC1a, and SOD2, but decreased PPARγ expression in aged mice. In conclusion, our results suggest that CR protects elderly mice from I/R injury by altering myocardial substrate energy metabolism via the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC1a pathway.

Urban particulate air pollution linked to dyslipidemia by modification innate immune cells

Air particulate matter (PM) is an essential risk factor for lipid metabolism disorders. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this cross-sectional study, 216 healthcare workers were recruited to estimate the associations among the daily exposure dose (DED) of air PM, innate immune cells, and plasma lipid levels. All participants were divided into two groups according to the air particulate combined DED (DED-PMC). The peripheral white blood cell counts, lymphocyte counts, and monocyte counts and percentages were higher in the higher-exposure group (HEG) than in the lower-exposure group (LEG), whereas the percentage of natural-killer cells was lower in the HEG than in the LEG. The plasma concentrations of the total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, and apolipoprotein B were higher in the HEG than in the LEG, whereas the HDL-C and apolipoprotein A1 were lower in the HEG than in the LEG. A dose-effect analysis indicated that when the DED of the air PM increased, there were increased peripheral monocyte counts and percentages, a decreased NK cell percentage, elevated plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, and apolipoprotein B, and reduced plasma levels of HDL-C and apolipoprotein A1. In addition, the modification of the innate immune cells was accompanied by alterations in the plasma lipid levels in a dose-dependent manner. Mediation effect analysis suggested innate immune cells were the potential mediators for the associations among air PM exposure on abnormal lipid metabolism. These results indicated that chronic exposure to air PM may disturb lipid metabolism by altering the distribution of innate immune cells in the peripheral blood, ultimately advancing cardiovascular disease risk.

Sub-group analysis of inflammatory cytokines IL-1 and IL-6 in association with lipid profiles of coronary artery disease patients

IntroductionAlthough possible effects of lipid parameters, and several important genetic factors, and cytokines on the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) have been demonstrated, there is still debate about how the lipid profile affects the sub-group of patients in a specific population. This study aimed to evaluate age- and gender-based effect of lipid profile in correlation with their IL-1 and IL-6 cytokine levels in South Indian population. MethodsAngiographically confirmed 150 CAD patients' with or without hypertension and 150 healthy control individuals of both the genders between 18 and 70 years of age were enrolled. Quantitative estimation of IL-1 and IL-6 protein in each serum sample was evaluated using ELISA. The plasma concentrations of cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL and triglycerides were determined using different biochemical tests. Correlation was established between cytokines and lipid profile of patients in different sub-groups using Pearson's linear regression analysis. ResultsSub-group analysis showed VLDL and triglyceride levels as significant risk factors for CAD, especially in women patients. Older men (>40 years) and younger women (<40 years) reported with the highest negative correlation of IL-1 with lipid parameters, while older women showed strong positive correlation. Both younger and older men (<40 years) showed the strongest negative correlation of IL-6 with lipid parameters. Younger women showed the strongest negative correlation, while older women had the strongest positive correlation of IL-6 with lipid parameters. ConclusionOverall, this study indicates the importance of sub-group analysis in identifying comprehensive association of different parameters with the risk of CAD.

Effect of body condition score on biochemical parameters and hormonal profiles during the mating period in Ouled Djellal ewes in arid zone

ABSTRACTThis study aims to evaluate the effect of body condition score (BCS) on hormonal profiles and to reveal their influence on the blood metabolites in Ouled Djellal ewes during the mating period. The experiment was conducted on thirty, clinically healthy and non-pregnant, Ouled Djellal ewes which have been kept into two groups according to their body condition score (Group I: BCS &lt; 2.50 units; n = 13, Group II: BCS &gt; 2.50 units; n = 17). In both groups, oestrus was synchronized using hormonal patterns then the ewes were left to be naturally inseminated. Blood samples were collected at the time of the sponge removal. Plasma concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, creatinine, urea, triiodothyronine, thyroxine and Progesterone were recorded. The plasma level of triglycerides and thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) increase significantly (P &lt; 0.01) in group II. Progesterone concentrations were similar (P ≥ 0.05) in both groups at mating period, although we recorded higher rate in group I. Therefore, we conclude that body condition score has a significant impact on some hormone profiles and blood parameters during the mating period.

Cholesterol solubilization: Interplay between phytosterols, saponins and lipid digestion products

High plasma concentrations of cholesterol are associated with cardio-vascular disease complications and high risk of myocardial infarction. The absorption of dietary cholesterol depends on its bioaccessibility, which is in turn influenced by phytosterols, saponins and lipid digestion products. Therefore, we explored the interplay between phytosterols, Quillaja Dry saponin extract (QD), their combinations and lipid digestion on cholesterol bioaccessibility via an in vitro.

Physiological effects of thyroid hormones in the aspect of comorbidity and healthy longevity

Currently, non-infectious diseases, among which various disorders of the endocrine system play a decisive role, occupy one of the first positions in the structure of morbidity and mortality. Endocrine pathology worsens the course of other diseases and is a significant adverse factor in increasing mortality, including cardiovascular accidents. Thyroid pathology ranks second in the structure of endocrine diseases, and an increase in the incidence and prevalence of thyroid pathology in older age groups has been noted in recent decades. Thyroid hormones reduce the concentration of cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides in the plasma, while the amount of free fatty acids may increase. Conversely, decreased secretion of thyroid hormones dramatically increases the plasma concentration of cholesterol and phospholipids, and is almost always the cause of a sharp increase in fat deposition in the liver. In the presence of dyslipidemia and arterial hypertension, primary hypothyroidism can be considered as a risk factor for atherosclerosis and, accordingly, ischemic heart disease, especially in the elderly. In conditions of chronic iodine deficiency, a number of autoimmune factors may play a significant role in goiter development. Patients with endemic goiter reveal enzymatic defects in the synthesis of thyroid hormones, which further stimulates autoimmune aggression and degenerative changes in the thyroid gland, leading to a gradual decrease in the functional activity of the gland – hypothyroidism. Iodine deficiency and autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland are often components of a continuum of comorbidity, which requires personalization of their treatment, taking into account the risks of mutual influences of various pathologies.

Feeding Laying Ducks Eucommia ulmoides oliv. Leaves Increases the n-3 Fatty Acids Content and Decreases the n-6: n-3 PUFA Ratio in Egg Yolk without Affecting Laying Performance or Egg Quality.

The objective was to determine the effects of supplementing duck diets with Eucommia ulmoides oliv. leaf powder (EUL). Laying ducks (n = 480) were randomly allocated into 4 experimental treatments and fed diets containing 0, 1, 2, or 4% EUL. Dietary inclusion of EUL had no effect (p &gt; 0.05) on laying performance or egg quality, but linearly increased (p &lt; 0.05) total plasma protein, globulin, and HDL-C concentrations with concurrent reductions (p &lt; 0.05) in plasma concentrations of cholesterol and LDL-C. Eggs laid by ducks receiving EUL had yolks with linearly higher phenolic concentrations (p &lt; 0.05) but lower cholesterol concentrations (p &lt; 0.05). EUL supplementation in duck diets significantly reduced n-6: n-3 PUFA ratio by enriching n-3 fatty acids in yolks (p &lt; 0.05) with no changes in n-6 PUFA (p &gt;0.05).

Feeding of Hermetia illucens Larvae Meal Attenuates Hepatic Lipid Synthesis and Fatty Liver Development in Obese Zucker Rats.

The present study tested the hypothesis that dietary insect meal from Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae attenuates the development of liver steatosis and hyperlipidemia in the obese Zucker rat. To test the hypothesis, a 4-week trial with male, obese Zucker rats (n = 30) and male, lean Zucker rats (n = 10) was performed. The obese rats were assigned to three obese groups (group O-C, group O-HI25, group O-HI50) of 10 rats each. The lean rats served as a lean control group (L-C). Group L-C and group O-C were fed a control diet with 20% casein as protein source, whereas 25% and 50% of the protein from casein was replaced with protein from HI larvae meal in the diets of group O-HI25 and O-HI50, respectively. The staining of liver sections with Oil red O revealed an excessive lipid accumulation in the liver of group O-C compared to group L-C, whereas liver lipid accumulation in group O-HI25 and O-HI50 was markedly reduced compared to group O-C. Hepatic concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, the sum of total fatty acids and hepatic mRNA levels of several genes associated with lipid synthesis and plasma concentration of cholesterol were markedly higher in group O-C than in group L-C, but lower in group O-HI50 than in group O-C (p < 0.05). In conclusion, partial replacement of casein by HI larvae meal attenuates liver steatosis and dyslipidemia in obese Zucker rats. This suggests that HI larvae meal serves as a functional food protecting from obesity-induced metabolic disorders.

Productive and physiological responses of feedlot cattle receiving different sources of Ca salts of fatty acids in the finishing diet.

This study evaluated productive and physiological responses in feedlot cattle receiving a finishing diet that included Ca salts of palm oil (CSPALM), or a blend of Ca salts of palm, cottonseed, and soybean oils (CSMIX). Ninety yearling steers were housed in 15 pens equipped with Calan-gate feeders (6 steers/pen). Steers within each pen were stratified by shrunk body weight (BW; 410 ± 3.3 kg across pens) on d 0 and assigned to receive a total-mixed ration (TMR) containing (dry matter basis) 2.2% of CSPALM (n = 30), 2.2% of CSMIX (n = 30), or no supplemental fat (CON; n = 30). Individual TMR intake was evaluated weekly. Blood samples were collected on d 0, 28, 56, 91, 119, and 147. Samples of the Longissimus muscle (LM) were collected on d 84 via biopsy. Upon slaughter on d 148, hot carcass weight (HCW) was recorded to estimate final BW (63% dressing), and one LM steak sample (2.54 cm thickness) was removed from the right side of each carcass. Steer ADG was greater (P = 0.02) for CSMIX compared with CSPALM and tended to be greater (P = 0.09) for CSMIX compared with CON. The gain:feed ratio was greater (P ≤ 0.05) for CSMIX compared with CSPALM and CON, and carcass LM area was less (P = 0.01) for CSPALM compared with CSMIX and CON. No treatment effects were detected (P ≥ 0.21) for TMR intake, final BW, and other carcass merit traits including marbling. Mean plasma cholesterol concentrations were greater (P < 0.01) in CSMIX and CSPALM compared with CON, and mRNA expression of adipocyte fatty acid binding protein in the LM on d 84 was greater (P ≤ 0.04) in CSPALM compared with CSMIX and CON. No treatment effects were detected (P ≥ 0.15) for plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor I, and leptin, nor for other LM genes associated with marbling and muscle growth. Concentrations of total fatty acids (FA) in plasma and LM steak samples were greater (P < 0.01) in CSMIX compared with CSPALM and CON, and greater (P < 0.01) in the LM samples of CSPALM compared with CON. Steers receiving CSMIX had greater (P < 0.01) concentrations of polyunsaturated and ω-6 FA in plasma and LM steak samples compared with CSPALM and CON. Supplementing CSMIX improved gain efficiency and FA profile in the LM of feedlot steers compared with the CON diet, but the same responses were not observed when CSPALM was offered. Perhaps the advantages from CSMIX supplementation resulted from increasing the supply of polyunsaturated and ω-6 FA to the finishing diet.

Effect of the Lingzi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) on Hyperglycemia and Dyslipidemia with Experimental Metabolic Syndrome.

The effect of Ganoderma lucidum hot water extract of submerged cultivated mycelium suspensia on carbohydrate metabolism and lipid profile during fructose-induced metabolic syndrome in rats was studied. The outbred white male Wistar rats, in which metabolic syndrome was induced by consuming a 10% fructose solution instead of drinking water for 42 days, were used. After the induction of metabolic syndrome, the mycelium of G. lucidum in the form of water suspension (a dose of 1 g/kg of the animal's body weight) was administered to animals per os for 7 and 14 days. Glucose concentration was determined using the glucose oxidase method. The content of glycosylated hemoglobin in erythrocytes was determined by the colorimetric method. The concentration of triglycerides, cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, and low-density lipoproteins in blood plasma was determined by enzymatic methods. A significant decrease in the content of glycosylated hemoglobin was established in animals with metabolic syndrome against the background of administration of the studied suspension. Under the conditions of experimental metabolic syndrome, the administration of mycelium for 7 and 14 days led to a decrease in the concentration of triglycerides by 17.8 and 44.8%, cholesterol by 10.7 and 21.3%, low-density lipoproteins by 14.8 and 28.4%, and to an increase in high-density lipoproteins concentration by 11.9 and 21.5%, compared with metabolic syndrome. The obtained results demonstrate the corrective effect of the suspension of the G. lucidum powdered mycelium on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, which was directly proportional to the duration of administration.

Genetically determined deficiency of ANGPTL3 does not alter HDL ability to preserve endothelial homeostasis

Individuals with loss-of-function mutations in the ANGPTL3 gene express a rare lipid phenotype called Familial Combined Hypolipidemia (FHBL2). FHBL2 individuals show reduced plasma concentrations of total cholesterol and triglycerides as well as of lipoprotein particles, including HDL. This feature is particularly remarkable in homozygotes in whom ANGPTL3 in blood is completely absent. ANGPTL3 acts as a circulating inhibitor of LPL and EL and it is thought that EL hyperactivity is the cause of plasma HDL reduction in FHBL2. Nevertheless, the consequences of ANGTPL3 deficiency on HDL functionality have been poorly explored. In this report, HDL isolated from homozygous and heterozygous FHBL2 individuals were evaluated for their ability to preserve endothelial homeostasis as compared to control HDL. It was found that only the complete absence of ANGPTL3 alters HDL subclass distribution, as homozygous, but not heterozygous, carriers have reduced content of large and increased content of small HDL with no alterations in HDL2 and HDL3 size. The plasma content of preβ-HDL was reduced in carriers and showed a positive correlation with plasma ANGPTL3 levels. Changes in composition did not however alter the functionality of FHBL2 HDL, as particles isolated from carriers retained their capacity to promote NO production and to inhibit VCAM-1 expression in endothelial cells. Furthermore, no significant changes in circulating levels of soluble ICAM-1 and E-selectin were detected in carriers. These results indicate that changes in HDL composition associated with the partial or complete absence of ANGPTL3 did not alter some of the potentially anti-atherogenic functions of these lipoproteins.

Subchronic toxicity of oral deltamethrin in laying chickens.

Pyrethroid pesticides, with low toxicity to birds and mammals and short persistence in the environment, are widely used now. With the development of intensive poultry farming, pesticide application leads to residues in poultry products and pollution in ecological environment. The aim of the present study was to examine deltamethrin subchronic toxicity in laying chickens. One hundred and twelve laying chickens were randomly assigned to 14 groups including 13 groups medicated with deltamethrin (n = 8) and one unmedicated group used as control (n = 8). Tissue samples were collected during and after administration for weighing and histopathological analysis. A single dose of deltamethrin (20 mg·kg-1·BW·d) was administered orally to laying chickens for 14 days. The results showed that deltamethrin has no significant effect on the relative organ weight of laying chickens (p > 0.05). The activities of aspartate aminotransferase and cholinesterase in the plasma gradually decreased over time in the medicated group (p < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of urea nitrogen, uric acid, cholesterol, triglycerides, and creatinine significantly increased during treatment (p < 0.05), and significant liver damage and loss of intestinal villous epithelium were observed. The intestinal wall thickness, villus height, and crypt depth of laying chickens were altered by deltamethrin treatment. During treatment was withdrawn, the intestinal repair was more extensive than the liver repair.