REDUCED FAT DEPOSITION IN FEMALE GUINEA-PIGS FED AN ATHEROGENIC DIET

In guinea pigs fed atherogenic diets lipid metabolism is altered and a therosclerosis develops. The purpose of this study was to examine adip ose fat storage in female Hartley guinea pigs fed for six weeks either a control (CON) or atherogenic (ATH) diet. Growth, body weight gain, and food intake (kcal/day) were not significantly different in the two groups. Total body fat was significantly higher in the CON (14.4+/-0. 4 %) than for the ATH fed group (11.6+/-0.7 %). Three adipose depots w ere examined: inguinal, parametrial, and retroperitoneal. The sum of t hree depots was significantly smaller in the ATH (4.1 +/- 0.1 g, mean +/- SEM) group compared to the CON (6.7 +/- 1.0 g) group. Fat cell siz e was significantly smaller in the inguinal depot from the ATH group c ompared to the CON group. Livers were twice as large in the ATH group compared to the CON group, and contained 6-fold more total lipid. Tota l plasma cholesterol increased nearly four fold during the first week of dietary treatment in the ATH group. Plasma triglyceride values were similar during the six weeks in the two groups. Thus, adipose fat dep osition was reduced, and fat accumulated in the liver of the ATH diet fed group. These results suggest the ATH fed guinea pigs had a reduced ability to transport fat from the liver to adipose tissue or an enhan ced ability to transport lipid from adipose tissue to the liver.