Gelatin intake increases the atheroma formation in apoE knock out mice

The effect of gelatin ingestion on cholesterol metabolism and on atheroma f ormation was evaluated in both wild type (n = 14) and apoprotein E (apoE) k nock out (apoE(-/-)) (n = 20) C57BL/6 7-week-old mice. Animals were fed a c holesterol-free isoproteic semi-purified diet containing 20% of casein (con trol diet) or 10% of casein plus 10% of gelatin (gel diet) for 8 weeks. In wild type mice, dietary gelatin caused a reduction in the serum triacylglyc erols levels associated with an increase in the fecal excretion. No differe nce in blood cholesterol was seen at the sixth week of experiment. At the e ighth week of experiment, there was a modest but significant reduction of s erum total and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in apoE(-/-) mice fed on gel diet compared to the control. Total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio was 2-fold higher in the gel group than that seen in the control gro up (14.39 and 7.84, respectively). Histological analyzes showed a 2.2-fold increase in the dimension of the atherosclerotic plaques in the proximal ao rta in apoE(-/-) mice fed on a gel diet compared to those fed on a control diet. The gel diet also promoted a reduction in the fecal excretion of bile acids. Hepatic cholesterol was similar in both groups. In conclusion, alth ough gelatin reduced total serum cholesterol, this reduction was associated to a decrease of HDL cholesterol and consequent increase of total choleste rol/HDL cholesterol ratio, resulting in an acceleration of atherogenesis. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.