QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE EFFECTS OF DIETARY PROTEINS ON HYPERLIPIDEMIA AND PROTEINURIA IN NEPHRITIC RATS

Effects of qualitative and quantitative differences in dietary protein s on hyperlipidemia and proteinuria were studied in rats with nephroto xic serum nephritis. Dietary proteins examined were milk casein, whole egg protein, soy protein isolate and cheat gluten. Rats were maintain ed on experimental diets for 14 days after an injection of nephrotoxic serum to induce nephritis. In the qualitative study, almost the same extent of growth and urinary protein excretion was observed in a 20% c asein (20C), egg protein (20E) and a soy protein (20S) group. Growth a nd protein excretion of a 20% gluten (20G) group were suppressed compa red with that of the other three groups. The serum lipid levels were h ighest in the 20E group and lowest in the 20G group. In the quantitati ve study, 8.5% protein diets, in general, ameliorated hyperlipidemia a nd proteinuria but retarded the growth of rats compared with the corre sponding 20% protein diets, except for an 8.5% egg protein diet that d id not suppress the growth. These results suggest that amino acid-bala nced low protein diets improve hyperlipidemia and proteinuria without growth retardation in nephritic rats.