EFFECT OF HEPATIC IRON ON HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA AND HYPERTRIACYLGLYCEROLEMIA IN COPPER-DEFICIENT FRUCTOSE-FED RATS

The purpose of this investigation was to establish whether plasma chol esterol and triacylglycerol(s) in copper deficiency can be increased o r decreased by hepatic iron levels. Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six dietary groups based on levels of dieta ry copper and iron. They were fed from weaning their respective diets for 6 wk. Forty percent of the copper-deficient rats fed a 15.7 mu mol Fe/g diet died; 22% of those fed a diet containing 8.6 mu mol Fe/g di ed; and there were no deaths in the 3.4 mu mol Fe/g diet group. Rats b elonging to the group fed the high-iron diet also exhibited the highes t levels of liver iron, liver glutathione, and plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol(s) compared with those fed either the adequate or low levels of dietary iron. There was a direct correlation (r = 0.82 and 0 .77, respectively) between levels of cholesterol and triacylglycerol(s ) in plasma and hepatic iron concentrations. These results provide str ong evidence that points to a major involvement of iron in the lipemia of copper deficiency. These data may be important to those individual s who consume large quantities of fortified iron foods and supplement with iron but whose intake of copper is suboptimal. (C) Elsevier Scien ce Inc. 1998.