0023-6152

AA00697606

22858

Unrefereed

0023-6152

AA00697606

The concentration of lipid components and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity in plasma of male rats fed on diets deficient in one of eight essential amino acids (EAA) were compared with those of the controls in two types of the experiments. Ingestion of the deficient diet for 14 days resulted in disorganized changes in the concentration of phospholipid and cholesterol with respect to EAA tested. The LCAT activity in general decreased by the feeding of EAA deficient diet, the decrease being significant in Met, Lys, Leu, Val or Trp deficiency. Changes in fatty acid specificity was different regarding each EAA deficiency. In rats refed on diet deficient in EAA for 2 days after 2 day-fasting, the concentration of phospholipid and cholesterol tended generally to decrease. The LCAT activity tended to increase on refeeding the diet deficient in EAA and it was significant in Ileu or Thr deficiency. Relative formation of the monounsaturated fatty acid ester was decreased by refeeding EAA deficient diet. Judging from fatty acid changes, decreased formation of monounsaturated ester of cholesterol was due mainly to that of the palmitoleate ester but not of the oleate ester. No direct correlation could not be demonstrated between the changes in these two enzymatic characteristics and the nutritional status of the rats. The results indicate that each EAA has different effects on the lipid composition and the activity and fatty acid specificity of LCAT in rat plasma.