Abstract
Effects of neonatal dietary and medicamental manipulations of steroid metabolism lasting into adult life have been demonstrated in rats and guinea pigs (e.g. Reiser, 1972, J Nutr 102:1009; Li, 1980, J Clin Invest 65:1060). We tried to confirm these data in an other species that shows a distinct effect of diet on cholesterol metabolism. In our study a lore physiological approach was chosen.
Mongolian gerbils were put on 6 different diets during 3 generations. Three groups got a basic diet with soy-oil(S), or pal-kernel-oil(P) amounting to 8.75%(w/w) of each oil, or the basic diet only(B). In three other groups 0.05% (w/w) cholesterol(C) was added to the sate diets (SC, PC and BC). At the age of 6 months of the 3d generation the diets were replaced by B till 12 months. At that age the gerbils were challenged with C during 2.5 weeks.
Maternal diets profoundly influenced serum and carcass-C of 2-week-old sucklings. At 12 months only serum-C showed differences: BC, 3.01±0.77 vs. B, 2.31±0.42 and S, 2.33±0.24, p<0.05. However, after additional challenge with C, the differences were not significant any more.
These data obtained in gerbils, do not support the theory that early dietary manipulations prevent hypercholesterolemia in adult life.
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Temmerman, A., Vonk, R., Berger, R. et al. DOES EARLY DIETARY REGIMEN INFLUENCE CHOLESTEROL METABULISM IN ADULT LIFE? A STUDY IN MONGOLIAN GERBILS. Pediatr Res 22, 237 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00141
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198708000-00141