QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chu, S.-H. W. Articles by Hegsted, D. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chu, S.-H. W. Articles by Hegsted, D. M.

Myo-Inositol Deficiency in Gerbils: Comparative Study of the Intestinal Lipodystrophy in Meriones unguiculatus and Meriones libycus¹

Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115

Like Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), Meriones libycus develop an intestinal lipodystrophy due to myo-inositol deficiency. Fat accumulation was observed in the intestine of both species when a myo-inositol-deficient diet containing coconut oil was fed to female gerbils. It began in the duodenum and gradually extended to the entire small intestine. Starvation partially removed the accumulated fats. The efficiency of fat absorption was not affected. Most of the accumulated fats were lauric acid-rich triglyceride with the fatty acid composition reflecting the pattern of the intestinal lymph triglyceride during normal transport of absorbed coconut oil. The ratio of oleic acid to linoleic acid in various intestinal lipids was increased. A marked decrease in all plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, including chylomicron, was also observed. It is assumed that the intestinal fat accumulation resulted from a defect in lymphatic transport of dietary fats.

KEY WORDS: • myo-inositol deficiency • fat absorption and transport • intestinal lymph • fatty acid composition • gerbil

¹ Supported in part by U.S. Public Health Service Research Grants (HL-12399 and K6-AM-18455) from the National Institutes of Health, and the Fund for Research and Teaching, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health.

Manuscript received 22 August 1979.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Aouameur, S. Da Cal, P. Bissonnette, M. J. Coady, and J.-Y. Lapointe SMIT2 mediates all myo-inositol uptake in apical membranes of rat small intestine Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, December 1, 2007; 293(6): G1300 - G1307. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]