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Dietary Protein Effects on Lipoproteins and on Sex and Thyroid Hormones in Blood of Rhesus Monkeys^1,2,

Oscar W. Portman^*,,, Manfred Alexander^* and Martha Neuringer^*,,

^* Division of Metabolic and Immune Diseases, Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97006 Department of Biochemistry Department of Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR 97201

We studied plasma lipoprotein and hormone concentrations in rhesus monkeys that had consumed either a low protein (3.8% of kilocalories) or a control protein (13.9%) purified diet since birth (6–10 yr before the beginning of this experiment) in order to test the hypothesis that chronic protein deficiency could influence plasma lipoproteins through an effect on the hepatic metabolism of gonadal or thyroid hormones. Protein-deficient monkeys had greater plasma concentrations of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) plus high density lipoproteins (HDL) than controls. They also had lower serum albumin and greater alkaline phosphatase levels than the controls. Plasma thyroxine (T₄) and free T₄ concentrations were lower and the triiodothyronine (T₃) levels tended to be greater in the protein-deficient group than in controls. This effect was apparent at two widely different levels of dietary iodide. Plasma T₃ concentrations were elevated in other adult rhesus monkeys that were fed the low protein diet for only 6 wk. Monkeys injected with estradiol benzoate (100 µg/kg body weight) for 4 d had a marked reduction of VLDL concentrations. VLDL triglycerides were depressed more and plasma estrone levels were greater in deficient monkeys than in controls at 24 h after the last injection. In the control monkeys the T₃ level rose and T₄/T₃ fell in response to estrogen injections, whereas the deficient monkeys did not respond.

KEY WORDS: • triiodothyronine • thyroxine • thyrotropin • estradiol • estrone • very low density lipoproteins • high density lipoproteins

¹ Publication No. 1373 of the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center.

² Supported, in part, by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant HL09744 and by Animal Resources Branch Grant RR00163 from the Division of Research Resources, NIH.

Manuscript received 4 September 1984.