Effects on liver and serum lipids of dietary supplements of methionine and excess lysine given to previously-starved rats

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 1983-11, Vol.50 (3), p.627-636
• Main Authors: Aoyama, Yoritaka, Sakaida, Kazuhiro, Yoshida, Akira, Ashida, Kiyoshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight; Diet; diet-related diseases; Energy Intake; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; human nutrition; Lipid Metabolism; Lipids - blood; Lipids. Glycolipids; Liver - anatomy & histology; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Lysine - pharmacology; Male; Metabolisms and neurohumoral controls; Methionine - pharmacology; Organ Size; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1079/BJN19830134

1. The addition of lysine hydrochloride (50 g/kg) to a diet supplemented with methionine (3 g/kg) had no effect on liver lipids when rats (Wistar and Sprague-Dawley) were fed ad lib. for 14 d. However, refeeding a diet supplemented with methionine and excess lysine hydrochloride to previously-starved rats (Wistar) for 6, 7 or 9 d, but not 3 or 4 d, resulted in liver lipid accumulation, mainly triglycerides, which was prevented by the addition of arginine, citrulline, ornithine, adenine, allopurinol or maize oil, but not by guanine, cytosine, thymine or uracil. 2. The addition of lysine hydrochloride to a methionine-supplemented diet resulted in reduced serum triglyceride levels after refeeding for 3 or 4 d and reduced serum cholesterol levels after refeeding for 3, 4 or 6 d. Serum lipids were unaffected by refeeding the diets for 7 or 9 d. 3. Since hepatic lipid accumulation was preceded by the decline in the level of serum triglycerides, one of the factors responsible for lipid accumulation in the liver might be reduced transport of triglycerides from the liver into the blood. 4. When adenine and allopurinol were added to the diet supplemented with methionine and lysine hydrochloride refed for 4 d, there was an increase in serum triglycerides. However, when this diet was refed for 7 d, with the addition of arginine, citrulline, guanine, pyrimidine bases, allopurinol or maize oil, no effects on serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were observed.