EXCESS DIETARY HISTIDINE ACCUMULATES LIPIDS IN RAT-LIVER

Rats were given either a control or a histidine-excess diet (supplemen ted with 50 g of L-histidine per kg of diet) for 0, 7, 21, and 42 days , It was found that liver lipids were accumulated after feeding a hist idine-excess diet for 21 or 42 days. The liver lipid accumulation was due to the increase in triacylglycerol, Excess dietary histidine decre ased serum triacylglycerol after feeding for 21 or 42 days and increas ed serum cholesterol after feeding for 7 or 21 days, The distribution of cholesterol in the high-density lipoprotein increased and, adversel y, that in the low-density lipoproteins decreased after feeding for 21 or 42 days, The supplement of excess histidine to the diet diminished fecal copper and zinc, liver copper, and serum copper and zinc, and i ncreased urinary copper and zinc.