NAGASE ANALBUMINEMIC RATS HAVE FASTER PLASMA TRIACYLGLYCEROL AND VLDLSYNTHESIS RATES

Serum triacylglycerol (TG) concentration is markedly elevated in Nagas e analbuminemic rats (NAR) as compared to Sprague-Dawley rats (SDR) an d reflects a high level of mainly VLDL. Hepatic production of triacylg lycerol, as measured by the Triton-WR1339 infusion technique of impair ing TG removal from blood, and plasma metabolic rate of pulse-infused [I-125]apo VLDL, were higher in NAR. However, contrary to previous rep orts, this elevated TG production could not be controlled by previous treatment of NAR with (i) bovine albumin infused intra-arterially or i nto the peritoneal cavity, or with (ii) dextran (Mol.wt. 73 500) injec ted intraperitoneally. Albumin administration expanded the plasma volu me and could explain the apparent reduction of blood lipids found by o thers. Nonetheless, intraperitoneal dextran, as compared to saline, re duced the plasma cholesterol concentration regardless of the variation in the hematocrit level and thus, by raising the osmotic pressure of blood might regulate the metabolism of cholesterol-rich lipoproteins s uch as LDL and HDL in NAR.