Journal article

Publication year: 1999

Pages: 141-149

Journal: Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition

Volume number: 81

Issue number: 3

ISSN: 0931-2439

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-0396.1999.813203.x

Publisher: Wiley

Abstract: 
The present study investigated the effects of dietary cholesterol and cholic acid on the fatty acid metabolism in young geese. Therefore, 40 4-week old geese were divided into four groups receiving either a basal diet containing predominately maize and soybean meal or the same diets supplemented with 0.5% of cholesterol, 0.5% of cholic acid or 0.5% cholesterol plus 0.5% cholic acid over a period of 39 days. To assess the fatty acid metabolism, fatty acid compositions of liver, muscle and adipose tissue total lipids and liver phospholipids were determined Ly gas chromatography. The fatty acid metabolism was generally influenced only by cholesterol treatment, but nor by cholic acid treatment. However, cholic acid amplified all the effects caused by dietary cholesterol. Feeding cholesterol increased levels of mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in liver total lipids and phospholipids at the expense of saturated fatty acids (SFA) indicating In enhanced hepatic Delta 9-desaturation. There was a strong positive correlation bern een hepatic cholesterol concentrations and the ratio between MUFA and SFA suggesting a direct effect of membrane cholesterol on Delta 9-desaturation. Levels of total highly unsaturated fatty acids derived from linoleic acid desaturation as well as the ratios between arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6) and linoleic acid(15:2 n-6) and between arachidonic acid and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (20:3 n-6) in liver lipids were markedly reduced by dietary cholesterol treatment indicating a reduced Delta 6, Delta 5, and Delta 4-desaturation. There were also correlations between hepatic cholesterol concentration and levels of linoleic acid desaturation products. In contrast to liver, muscle and adipose tissue lipids did nor exhibit an altered fatty acid composition due to dietary cholesterol and cholic acid treatment. In conclusion the study demonstrates that cholesterol treatment markedly alters the fatty acid metabolism. This effect seems to be the result of an accumulation of cholesterol in membranes, and therefore is observed only in the liver. Altered membrane properties as well as a reduced formation of eicosanoids in the liver might be possible consequences of those alterations.

Harvard Citation style: Eder, K. (1999) Fatty acid composition of tissue lipids of growing geese fed cholesterol and cholic acid, Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 81(3), pp. 141-149. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-0396.1999.813203.x

APA Citation style: Eder, K. (1999). Fatty acid composition of tissue lipids of growing geese fed cholesterol and cholic acid. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. 81(3), 141-149. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-0396.1999.813203.x