EFFECT OF CHOLESTEROL DIET ON LIPOPROTEIN PROFILE AND ON PRO-OXIDATIVE AND ANTIOXIDATIVE STATUS OF RAT

The effect of cholesterol (0.3%) diet on cholesterol levels in serum a nd liver, on cholesterol distribution in lipoproteins, lipid peroxidat ion and on the activities of antioxidant enzymes in erythrocytes and l iver was studied in male Wistar rats after 8 and 52 weeks of feeding t he diet. Cholesterol diet elevated serum cholesterol levels similarly - approximately three times - in both experimental time intervals. Cho lesterolaemia increased by 50-60% both in control diet group and chole sterol group within the duration of the experiment. Cholesterolaemia i nduced by cholesterol diet was determined essentially by increased cho lesterol content in very low density lipoproteins. The contribution of cholesterol in high density lipoproteins decreased from the physiolog ical values (70% in control group) to 28 or 19%, depending on the dura tion of the experiment, in animals fed the cholesterol diet. Cholester ol content in liver increased 20- or 40-fold, depending on the period of administration of the cholesterol diet. After 8 weeks, cholesterol diet stimulated the activities of SOD and GSH-Px, whereas GSH-Px activ ity was dependent on the duration of experiment for both diets. On the contrary, cholesterol diet reduced several times GSH-Px activity in l iver. This diet reduced also LCAT activity in plasma and HMG-CoA reduc tase activity in liver.