LIPOPROTEIN, LECITHIN-CHOLESTEROL ACYL TRANSFERASE AND ACETYL COA CARBOXYLASE IN STROKE-PRONE SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS FED A DIET HIGH IN EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID

To investigate the effect of dietary eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on pl asma lipoprotein levels, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) a ctivity and liver acetyl CoA carboxylase activity, highly concentrated EPA (78%) purified from sardine oil was fed to stroke-prone spontaneo usly hypertensive rats (SHRSP) for 30 days. Significantly (P < 0.05) l ower systolic blood pressure and plasma total cholesterol were observe d in rats fed an EPA diet. In addition, higher HDL cholesterol and low er VLDL cholesterol levels were found in rats fed the EPA diet as comp ared with rats fed the control diet. However, no significant change of plasma LDL cholesterol was observed in rats between the two dietary g roups. EPA supplementation increased the activity of plasma LCAT in ra ts. In addition, rats fed an EPA diet had lower liver total. lipids an d adipose tissue weights. However, higher liver acetyl CoA carboxylase activity was observed in rats fed the EPA diet. Results from the pres ent study suggest that dietary EPA might stimulate the plasma lipoprot ein metabolism and also alter lipogenesis in the liver of SHRSP rats.