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 Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Innis, S. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Innis, S. M.

Effect of Diet during Pregnancy and Lactation on the Activity of HMG-CoA Reductase in the Developing Rat¹

Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V5Z 4H4

Wistar rats were fed a control diet or a diet containing either cholestyramine or high fat and cholesterol throughout gestation and the first 14 d of lactation. Newborn litters were cross-fostered from rats fed the control diet to rats fed either cholestyramine or high fat and cholesterol, or from rats fed cholestyramine to rats fed the control diet. Hepatic hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity, plasma cholesterol and triglycerides were assayed on gestation d 20 and postnatal d 8, 14, 22 and 30. Cholestyramine had no effect on maternal or fetal plasma lipid levels but increased fetal hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity by approximately 50%. The increased reductase activity persisted on postnatal d 8 and 14. Control pups suckled by dams fed cholestyramine also had significantly increased HMG-CoA reductase activities on postnatal d 8 and 14. The high fat and cholesterol diet significantly increased maternal plasma cholesterol but had no effect on HMG-CoA reductase activity in the fetus or suckling pups. Neither cholestyramine nor high fat and cholesterol altered the rat milk cholesterol levels. The studies demonstrate that HMG-CoA reductase activity in the developing rat can be altered by factors dependent on maternal diet. They do not support a hypothesis for regulation by maternal dietary or milk cholesterol supply.

KEY WORDS: • development • diet • cholesterol metabolism • rat

¹ These studies were supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council of Canada.

² Recipient of a Medical Research Council of Canada Scholarship.

Manuscript received 2 February 1988. Revision accepted 25 May 1988.