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Decreased Plasma Lecithin:Cholesterol Acyltransferase Activity in Copper-Deficient Rats^1,2,

Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523

The effect of dietary copper deficiency on rat plasma lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity was examined. Three groups of rats were used: ad libitum-fed copper-deficient group (0.6 µg Cu/g diet); pair-fed control group (5.9 µg Cu/g diet); and an ad libitum-fed control group (5.9 µg Cu/g diet). Copper deficiency produced a significant hypercholesterolemia (57% increase, P < 0.001) in 63 days with a significant increase in plasma free cholesterol (44%, P < 0.001). Despite the significant increase in plasma free cholesterol, fractional and molar LCAT activity were markedly decreased (74.2%, P < 0.001 and 63.7%, P < 0.005, respectively) in copper-deficient rats. The results of this study suggest that dietary copper deficiency affects LCAT activity.

KEY WORDS: • copper deficiency • LCAT activity • cholesterol esterification

¹ This study was supported by funds from USPHS NIH grant HL24565.

² Fed. Proc. 40, 867, 1981.

³ To whom requests should be addressed.

Manuscript received 13 July 1981.