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Roles of 3 Fatty Acids and Chronic Ethanol in the Regulation of Plasma and Liver Lipids and Plasma Apoproteins A₁ and E in Rats

Lipid Research Laboratory, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422

Relative effects of feeding ethanol and/or 3 fatty acid-rich fish oil for 6 wk on body lipids and lipoproteins were investigated. Ethanol increased plasma cholesterol (P < 0.06) and triglycerides (P < 0.0005), whereas fish oil decreased plasma cholesterol (P < 0.005) and triglycerides (P < 0.02). Liver cholesterol and triglycerides were increased by ethanol (P < 0.0001) while fish oil decreased liver cholesterol (P < 0.01) but not triglycerides. Based on Scheffé contrasts (P < 0.05), fish oil blocked the increases in liver cholesterol and triglycerides caused by ethanol. Substitution of normal dietary fat with 3 fatty acid-rich fat in ethanol-fed animals lowered plasma cholesterol by 29% (P < 0.001) and triglycerides by 30% (P < 0.05) within 2 wk. Plasma apo A₁ was increased by ethanol (P < 0.001) and decreased by fish oil (P < 0.002). Plasma total apo E was unaffected by either ethanol or fish oil. However, HDL apo E was decreased by ethanol (P < 0.04) and increased by fish oil (P < 0.02). Scheffé contrasts (P < 0.05) also showed that plasma apo A was increased by ethanol regardless of whether the animals were consuming regular fat (1.72-fold) or fish oil fat (1.49-fold). Thus, 3 fatty acids can not only prevent but also reverse many of the lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities caused by alcohol abuse in the rat.

KEY WORDS: • chronic ethanol • 3 fatty acids • cholesterol • triglycerides • apoproteins A₁ and E

Manuscript received 28 December 1987. Revision accepted 20 July 1988.