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Effects of Dietary Animal and Plant Proteins on the Cholesterol Metabolism in Immature and Mature Rats¹

Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX 76204 Department of Biochemistry, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine and Division of Biochemistry, North Texas State University, Denton, TX 76203

Three- and 9-mo-old rats were fed purified diets that contained either casein, cottonseed or soybean protein for 28 d, and plasma total and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity and excretion of fecal neutral sterols were measured. These analyses were performed in order to examine how various dietary proteins from animal and plant sources fed in a purified diet influence the changes in the cholesterol metabolism of the young and old rats. Both immature (3-mo-old) and mature (9-mo-old) rats fed purified diet containing casein maintained significantly higher plasma total and HDL cholesterol levels than their counterparts fed the same diets but containing plant proteins (soybean and cottonseed). The fractional rate of esterification (FR) of plasma free cholesterol in mature casein-fed rats was lower than that in immature rats. The FR was also lower in immature rats fed casein than in those fed plant protein. The net tumover rate (NR) of plasma cholesteryl esters (CE) tended to be higher in mature rats and in general was not affected by the dietary protein source. The rate of fecal excretion of neutral sterols was significantly higher in immature rats than in mature rats and in animals fed plant proteins at both ages than in those fed casein.

KEY WORDS: • dietary proteins • plasma LCAT • aging • cholesterol • rats

¹ Supported in part by grants from the Natural Fibers and Food Protein Commission of Texas, U.S. Department of Agriculture (Grant No. 587B300243) Cotton Inc., Raleigh, N.C. and from National Institutes of Health (AG-03255).

² Present address: Department of Biochemistry, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Worth, TX 76107.

Manuscript received 20 November 1985. Revision accepted 18 August 1986.