THE EFFECT OF INCREASED EGG CONSUMPTION ON PLASMA CHOLESTERYL ESTER TRANSFER ACTIVITY IN HEALTHY-SUBJECTS

Background: Plasma cholesteryl ester transfer activity influences the distribution of cholesterol among plasma lipoproteins and changes in i ts activities may influence the response of plasma lipoprotein cholest erol levels to increased cholesterol intake in the form of eggs. Objec tive: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of increased eg g intake on plasma newly synthesized cholesteryl ester transfer (NCET) activity and plasma lipids and lipoprotein levels in free-living men and women. Design: The study was longitudinal and included a 12 d inte rvention arm and a similar control period immediately prior to the int ervention to account for any changes in variables with time. Subjects: Thirty two healthy subjects aged 20-57 y and consuming self-selected diets were recruited. Twelve men and 14 women were entered into the in tervention arm of the study. Twelve of these subjects and six others w ere in the control group. Interventions: Subjects who participated in the intervention phase received one additional egg per day. Results: P lasma NCET activity decreased significantly (P=0.05) in the 26 subject s who consumed an extra egg, mainly due to a significant (P=0.02) decr ease (-13.4%) in the activity in the women. Plasma cholesterol and apo lipoprotein B-containing lipoprotein cholesterol increased significant ly (P=0.05) in the intervention group and in men (P=0.02) but not in w omen. Age was correlated significantly (r=0.519, P<0.01) with the chan ge in plasma NCET activity in all subjects and in men (r=-0.644, P<0.0 5). The decrease in plasma NCET activity was significantly (P=0.02) le ss in the lowest tertile compared with other tertiles of self-reported habitual dietary cholesterol intake independent of age and gender. Co nclusions: These data suggest that an increase in dietary cholesterol reduces plasma NCET activity particularly in women and older men and i ndividuals with higher habitual intakes of cholesterol. Furthermore, a reduction in plasma NCET activity may tend to limit the increase in a poB-containing lipoprotein cholesterol in women during increased egg c onsumption.