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Biomedical subjects

D K Spady

Publications and source records attributed to D K Spady.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Adenovirus-mediated transfer of a gene encoding cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase into hamsters increases hepatic enzyme activity and reduces plasma total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Clinical interventions that accelerate conversion of cholesterol to bile acids reduce circulating low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations. The initial and rate-limiting step in the bile acid biosynthetic pathway is catalyzed by hepatic cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase. To examine the effects of transient primary overexpression of this enzyme on sterol metabolism and lipoprotein transport, we constructed a recombinant adenovirus in which a cDNA encoding rat 7 alpha-hydroxylase is expressed from the human cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter (AdCMV7 alpha). Syrian hamsters administered AdCMV7 alpha intravenously accumulated transgene-specific mRNA in the liver and demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in hepatic microsomal 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity. The increased conversion of cholesterol to bile acids resulted in a compensatory increase in hepatic cholesterol synthesis. In addition, overexpression of 7 alpha-hydroxylase reduced the rate of LDL cholesterol entry into the plasma space and, in animals maintained on a Western-type diet, restored hepatic LDL receptor expression. As a consequence, plasma LDL concentrations fell by approximately 60% in animals maintained on control diet and by approximately 75% in animals consuming a Western-type diet. Plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were reduced to a lesser degree. These results demonstrate that transient upregulation of bile acid synthesis by direct transfer of a 7 alpha-hydroxylase gene favorably alters circulating lipoprotein profiles and suggest one potential molecular target for genetic strategies aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed1995

Regulatory effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on hepatic LDL uptake in the hamster and rat.

These studies were undertaken to investigate the mechanisms involved in the regulation of hepatic low density lipoprotein (LDL) transport by n-3 fatty acids in the hamster and rat. Animals were fed n-3 or n-6 fatty acids with a cholesterol-free, very-low-fat semisynthetic diet, or with a diet enriched with cholesterol and saturated fat. Although the enrichment of liver lipids with dietary n-3 fatty acids was similar in hamsters and rats, the effect of n-3 fatty acids on hepatic LDL transport differed in the two species. In the hamster, n-3 fatty acids had no effect on hepatic receptor-dependent LDL uptake in animals fed a cholesterol-free, very-low-fat diet and suppressed receptor-dependent transport in animals fed a diet enriched with cholesterol and saturated triglyceride. In hamsters fed n-3 fatty acids, changes in receptor-dependent LDL transport were accompanied by parallel changes in LDL receptor mRNA, indicating regulation of the receptor at the pretranslational level. In the rat, on the other hand, dietary n-3 fatty acids enhanced hepatic receptor-dependent LDL uptake by nearly twofold regardless of the background diet; however, hepatic LDL receptor protein and mRNA were unchanged. Dietary n-3 fatty acids did not enhance hepatic chylomicron remnant clearance in the rat. These studies confirm marked species differences in response to n-3 fatty acids and suggest that n-3 fatty acids accelerate hepatic receptor-dependent LDL transport in the rat by altering the distribution or recycling of LDL receptors or via effects on a different receptor pathway.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Role of liver in the synthesis of cholesterol and the clearance of low density lipoproteins in the cynomolgus monkey.

The suitability of the adult male cynomolgus monkey as a model for investigating genetic mechanisms that regulate dietary cholesterolemic response was evaluated by carrying out a systematic characterization of the major aspects of cholesterol metabolism in this species. In monkeys maintained on a diet enriched with saturated fat but low in cholesterol (0.019%, wt/wt), plasma total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations were 118 +/- 6 and 45.3 +/- 3.4 mg/dl, respectively. Intestinal cholesterol absorption averaged 54.0 +/- 2.5%, and the rate of whole body sterol synthesis was 10.8 +/- 0.6 mg/day per kg body weight. Only 11.2 +/- 2.6% of this synthesis occurred in the liver. In contrast, the liver was the major site for low density lipoprotein clearance accounting for almost 80% of LDL-C degradation in these animals. The liver, which represented 1.5% of whole body mass, had a total and esterified cholesterol concentration of 4.95 +/- 0.29 and 2.05 +/- 0.30 mg/g, respectively. When challenged with a matching high cholesterol diet (0.19%, wt/wt), the monkeys developed marked hypercholesterolemia that was accounted for mainly by a 7-fold increase in the LDL-C levels. There was, however, wide individual variation among the monkeys in the magnitude of their cholesterolemic response. Hepatic total and esterified cholesterol levels increased 2.5- and 4.6-fold, respectively. Comparative experiments showed that while several of the metabolic characteristics of this species of monkey were similar to those found in the hamster, they were generally very different from those seen in the rat. Thus, the male cynomolgus monkey has many characteristics in common with humans and represents an attractive model for further delineating the genetic mechanisms that dictate variable responsiveness to dietary cholesterol and triacylglycerol.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Regulation of hepatic 7 alpha-hydroxylase expression by dietary psyllium in the hamster.

Soluble fiber consistently lowers plasma total and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations in humans and various animal models including the hamster; however, the mechanism of this effect remains incompletely defined. We performed studies to determine the activity of dietary psyllium on hepatic 7 alpha-hydroxylase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase and LDL receptor expression in the hamster. In animals fed a cholesterol-free semisynthetic diet containing 7.5% cellulose (avicel) as a fiber source, substitution of psyllium for avicel increased hepatic 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity and mRNA levels by 3-4-fold. Comparable effects on 7 alpha-hydroxylase expression were observed with 1% cholestyramine. Psyllium also increased hepatic 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity and mRNA in animals fed a diet enriched with cholesterol and triglyceride. Activation of 7 alpha-hydroxylase was associated with an increase in hepatic cholesterol synthesis that was apparently not fully compensatory since the cholesterol content of the liver declined. Although dietary psyllium did not increase hepatic LDL receptor expression in animals fed the cholesterol-free, very-low-fat diet, it did increase (or at least restore) receptor expression that had been downregulated by dietary cholesterol and triglyceride. Thus, 7.5% dietary psyllium produced effects on hepatic 7 alpha-hydroxylase and LDL metabolism that were similar to those of 1% cholestyramine. Induction of hepatic 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity by dietary psyllium may account, in large part, for the hypocholesterolemic effect of this soluble fiber.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The interaction of dietary cholesterol and specific fatty acids in the regulation of LDL receptor activity and plasma LDL-cholesterol concentrations.

From these brief considerations, it is clear that the steady-state LDL-cholesterol concentration is determined in a powerful way by the interaction of dietary cholesterol and specific fatty acids. There appear to be only a few saturated fatty acids and an even lesser number of unsaturated fatty acids that significantly interact with cholesterol in the liver cell to alter hepatic LDL receptor activity. These effects are uniformly seen in most experimental animals and in humans under circumstances where the experiments are properly designed. Future work is urgently needed to define the metabolic effects of the more unusual fatty acids (e.g., the trans fatty acid) and the more intimate details of how these substances regulate LDL receptor activity in the cell. It is also of considerable importance to extend these studies to the members of the same species that exhibit variable responses to these same dietary lipids. It is now clear that the magnitude of these specific responses to dietary cholesterol and specific fatty acids varies in different individuals with different genetic backgrounds from the same species. Elucidating the reasons for this variability is another area of research of considerable importance to human biology.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Regulation of plasma LDL-cholesterol levels by dietary cholesterol and fatty acids.

Extensive data obtained in both experimental animals and humans demonstrate that steady-state plasma LDL-C concentrations are determined largely by the rate of LDL-C formation, Jt, and the level of LDL-R activity, Jm, located primarily in the liver. An increase in net cholesterol delivery to the liver suppresses Jm, slightly elevates Jt, and modestly raises the LDL-C level. Feeding lipids such as the 12:0, 14:0, and 16:0 saturated fatty acids further suppresses Jm, increases Jt, and markedly elevates the plasma LDL-C concentration. Feeding triacylglycerols containing the 18:1(c9) fatty acid restores hepatic receptor activity, decreases Jt, and modestly reduces the concentration of LDL-C in the plasma. The 18:2(c9, c12) compound has similar effects, although it is quantitatively less active than the monounsaturated fatty acid in restoring Jm. In contrast to these fatty acids that actively raise or lower hepatic receptor activity, a large group of compounds including the 4:0, 6:0, 8:0, 10:0, 18:0, and 18:1(t9) fatty acids have no demonstrable effect on any parameter of LDL-C metabolism. These fatty acids, therefore, can be added to animal and human diets with relative impunity. They will alter plasma LDL-C levels only to the extent that they replace the active saturated fatty acids (in which case they lower the LDL-C concentration) or unsaturated compounds (in which case they raise the plasma cholesterol level). All of these effects of cholesterol and the various fatty acids can be explained by the effects of these lipids in altering the size of the regulatory pool of cholesterol in the hepatocyte. However, many aspects of the cellular and molecular biology of these regulatory processes require additional investigation. In particular, new studies should focus on how the genetic background of an individual animal or human alters the quantitative response of its plasma LDL-C concentration to the dietary challenge of each of these types of lipids.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Dietary fatty acids regulate hepatic low density lipoprotein (LDL) transport by altering LDL receptor protein and mRNA levels.

The concentration of LDL in plasma is strongly influenced by the amount and the type of lipid in the diet. Recent studies in the hamster have shown that dietary fatty acids differentially affect circulating LDL levels primarily by altering receptor-dependent LDL uptake in the liver. To investigate the mechanistic basis of this effect, rates of receptor-dependent LDL transport in the liver were correlated with LDL receptor protein and mRNA levels in hamsters fed safflower oil or coconut oil and varying amounts of cholesterol. Hepatic LDL receptor activity was significantly lower in animals fed coconut oil than in animals fed safflower oil at all levels of cholesterol intake (26, 53, and 61% lower at cholesterol intakes of 0, 0.06, and 0.12%, respectively). These fatty acid-induced changes in hepatic LDL receptor activity were accompanied by parallel changes in hepatic LDL receptor protein and mRNA levels, suggesting that dietary fatty acids regulate the LDL receptor pathway largely at the mRNA level.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Regulatory effects of individual n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on LDL transport in the rat.

Dietary triglycerides containing predominantly poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are known to reduce plasma total and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations relative to triglycerides containing predominantly saturated fatty acids. However, there is little information regarding the independent effects of individual n-6 and n-3 PUFAs on LDL metabolism. The present studies were therefore undertaken to examine the effects of individual n-6 (linoleic acid) and n-3 (alpha-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acid) PUFAs on plasma lipid levels and on the major transport processes that determine plasma LDL concentrations. Rats were fed a semisynthetic cholesterol-free diet supplemented with 4% (by wt) linoleic, alpha-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, or docosahexaenoic acid for 2 weeks. Dietary eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids lowered plasma triglyceride concentrations by 62% and 52%, respectively, and lowered plasma cholesterol concentrations by 54% and 43%, respectively. In contrast, dietary linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids had relatively little effect on plasma triglyceride or cholesterol concentrations. Dietary eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids increased hepatic LDL receptor activity by 72% and 58%, respectively, and reduced the rate of LDL cholesterol entry into plasma by 36% and 30%, respectively. As a consequence plasma LDL cholesterol concentrations fell by 60% in animals fed eicosapentaenoic acid and 54% in animals fed docosahexaenoic acid. In contrast, these parameters of LDL metabolism were not significantly altered by dietary linoleic or alpha-linolenic acids. Thus, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (the two major n-3 PUFAs present in fish oil) were equally effective in reducing the rate of LDL formation and stimulating hepatic LDL receptor activity, and were much more active in this regard than their parent compound (alpha-linoleic acid) or linoleic acid.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Regulation of hepatic sterol metabolism in the rat. Parallel regulation of activity and mRNA for 7 alpha-hydroxylase but not 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase or low density lipoprotein receptor.

In vivo regulation of hepatic sterol metabolism was examined in the rat. Sodium cholate markedly suppressed hepatic 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA levels and activity when fed to rats on a low cholesterol diet. Sterol balance was maintained solely by decreasing hepatic cholesterol synthesis. Compensatory mechanisms were inadequate when cholate was fed to rats on a high cholesterol diet and massive amounts of cholesterol accumulated in the liver and plasma. Suppression of bile salt synthesis was not responsible since cholate did not suppress 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity when fed to rats on a high cholesterol diet. Moreover, total hepatic low density lipoprotein receptor activity was not suppressed even though liver cholesteryl ester levels were increased more than 350-fold. Changes in 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity were always accompanied by parallel changes in mRNA, whereas mRNA levels for 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase were reduced by 50% or less, even when cholesterol synthesis was suppressed by 98%. HMG-CoA reductase and low density lipoprotein receptor activities were regulated independently although mRNA levels for these two proteins were coordinately regulated. These findings indicate that 7 alpha-hydroxylase is controlled by mRNA levels, whereas in vivo cholesterol synthesis is predominantly controlled by posttranscriptional regulation of HMG-CoA reductase activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Hepatic clearance of plasma low density lipoproteins.

An elevated plasma LDL concentration is a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. The concentration of LDL in plasma is determined, to a large extent, by events in the liver, since this organ is the source of LDL (via VLDL) and is the major site of LDL catabolism. LDL uptake by the liver is mediated largely by receptor-dependent mechanisms and fully 80 to 90% of whole body receptor-dependent LDL catabolism occurs in the liver. The rate of receptor-dependent LDL uptake by the liver is influenced by dietary and genetic factors. Cholesterol and fatty acids are the major dietary factors that alter receptor-dependent LDL uptake by the liver and appear to do so by regulating LDL receptor gene transcription. Regulation of LDL receptor gene transcription by sterols is mediated by sterol regulatory elements within the LDL receptor promoter, but how the nucleus actually senses cellular cholesterol levels and how dietary fatty acids might influence this process remain to be elucidated. Genetic factors may affect the basal rate of receptor-dependent LDL transport or the sensitivity of the LDL receptor pathway to regulation by dietary lipids. An understanding of how dietary lipids regulate hepatic LDL transport and plasma LDL levels, and identification of the major genetic factors that determine responsiveness to dietary lipids is crucial to the development of safe and effective dietary guidelines and to the selection of individuals most likely to benefit from diet modification.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1992

Regulatory effects of the saturated fatty acids 6:0 through 18:0 on hepatic low density lipoprotein receptor activity in the hamster.

The plasma concentration of cholesterol carried in low density lipoproteins is principally determined by the level of LDL receptor activity (Jm) and the LDL-cholesterol production rate (Jt) found in animals or man. This study delineates which saturated fatty acids alter Jm and Jt and so increase the plasma LDL-cholesterol level. Jm and Jt were measured in vivo in hamsters fed a constant level of added dietary cholesterol (0.12%) and triacylglycerol (10%), where the triacylglycerol contained only a single saturated fatty acid varying in chain length from 6 to 18 carbon atoms. After feeding for 30 d, the 12:0, 14:0, 16:0, and 18:0 fatty acids, but not the 6:0, 8:0, and 10:0 compounds, became significantly enriched in the liver total lipid fraction of the respective groups fed these fatty acids. However, only the 12:0, 14:0, and 16:0 fatty acids, but not the 6:0, 8:0, 10:0, and 18:0 compounds, suppressed Jm, increased Jt, and essentially doubled plasma LDL-cholesterol concentrations. Neither the 16:0 nor 18:0 compound altered rates of cholesterol synthesis in the extrahepatic organs, and both lowered the hepatic total cholesterol pool. Thus, the different effects of the 16:0 and 18:0 fatty acids could not be attributed to a difference in cholesterol delivery to the liver. Since these changes in LDL kinetics took place without an apparent alteration in external sterol balance, the regulatory effects of the 12:0, 14:0, and 16:0 fatty acids presumably are mediated through some change in a putative intrahepatic regulatory pool of sterol in the liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids independently regulate low density lipoprotein receptor activity and production rate.

These studies examine the regulation of plasma low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels by varying quantities of dietary saturated and polyunsaturated triacylglycerols. At a constant load of 0.12% cholesterol and 20% triacylglycerol, substitution of polyunsaturated for saturated triacylglycerols caused LDL receptor activity to increase from 25% to 80% of control and reduced the LDL-cholesterol production rate from nearly 200% to 155%. These changes caused the plasma LDL-cholesterol concentration to decrease from nearly 190 to 50 mg/dl. When the dietary content of each triacylglycerol alone was incrementally increased, the saturated lipid suppressed receptor activity while the polyunsaturated triacylglycerol increased receptor-dependent LDL transport. The magnitude of these effects was quantitatively similar, although oppositely directed. However, the saturated triacylglycerol also caused a dose-dependent increase in the LDL-cholesterol production rate and markedly increased the plasma LDL-cholesterol level while the polyunsaturated lipid did not affect either of these. These independent effects were also evident in experiments where it was found that substituting polyunsaturated triacylglycerol for saturated lipid increased receptor activity significantly more than did simply reducing the dietary content of saturated triacylglycerol. Thus, these studies show that triacylglycerols containing saturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids have effects on the major processes that regulate the plasma LDL-cholesterol level that are qualitatively and quantitatively distinct.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Interaction of dietary saturated and polyunsaturated triglycerides in regulating the processes that determine plasma low density lipoprotein concentrations in the rat.

These studies were undertaken to determine how polyunsaturated (n-3 and n-6) and saturated triglycerides interact to regulate rates of low density lipoprotein (LDL) production and rates of receptor-dependent and receptor-independent LDL transport. Animals were fed diets containing 20% (by wt) hydrogenated coconut oil or diets in which the coconut oil was progressively removed and replaced with safflower oil or fish oil concentrate. Plasma LDL concentrations fell when either of the polyunsaturated triglycerides was substituted for saturated triglycleride in the diet; however, the reduction in LDL concentrations was greater with fish oil than with safflower oil at all ratios of polyunsaturated to saturated triglyceride that were examined. The lower plasma LDL concentrations when coconut oil was replaced with fish oil could be attributed almost entirely to a much greater increase in hepatic LDL receptor activity when fish oil was used as the substitute than when safflower oil was used as the substitute. To examine the effect of polyunsaturated triglycerides when used to supplement a high saturated fat diet rather than to replace saturated fat in the diet, animals were fed a diet containing 15% coconut oil (by wt) with or without an additional supplement of 5% fish oil or safflower oil. The addition of 15% coconut oil to low fat control diet increased the rate of LDL production causing circulating LDL levels to rise by 40%. The further supplementation of this high saturated fat diet with fish oil concentrate markedly increased hepatic LDL receptor activity causing plasma LDL concentrations to return to control values whereas supplementation with safflower oil had little effect. Thus, at least in the rat, supplementation of a high saturated fat diet with a fish oil concentrate lowers plasma LDL concentrations as effectively as removing the saturated fat from the diet, although in the former case, both the production and the receptor-dependent uptake of LDL are greatly increased.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Mechanisms by which saturated triacylglycerols elevate the plasma low density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration in hamsters. Differential effects of fatty acid chain length.

These studies were designed to elucidate how shorter (MCT) and longer (HCO) chain-length saturated triacylglycerols and cholesterol interact to alter steady-state plasma LDL-cholesterol levels. When either MCT or HCO was fed in the absence of cholesterol, there was little effect on receptor-dependent LDL transport but a 36-43% increase in LDL-cholesterol production. Cholesterol feeding in the absence of triacylglycerol led to significant suppression of receptor-dependent LDL transport and a 26-31% increase in LDL-cholesterol production. However, when the longer chain-length saturated triacylglycerol was fed together with cholesterol there was a marked increase in the suppression of receptor-dependent LDL transport and an 82% increase in production rate. Together, these two alterations accounted for the observed eightfold increase in plasma LDL-cholesterol concentration. In contrast, feeding the shorter chain-length saturated triacylglycerol with cholesterol actually enhanced receptor-dependent LDL transport while also causing a smaller increase (52%) in the LDL-cholesterol production rate. As a result of these two opposing events, MCT feeding had essentially no net effect on plasma LDL-cholesterol levels beyond that induced by cholesterol feeding alone.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Dietary fish oil stimulates hepatic low density lipoprotein transport in the rat.

These studies were undertaken to examine the effect of fish oil, safflower oil, and hydrogenated coconut oil on the major processes that determine the concentration of low density lipoprotein (LDL) in plasma, i.e., the rate of LDL production and the rates of receptor-dependent and receptor-independent LDL uptake in the various organs of the body. When fed at the 20% level, fish oil reduced plasma LDL-cholesterol levels by 38% primarily by increasing LDL receptor activity in the liver. Dietary safflower oil also increased hepatic LDL receptor activity; however, since the rate of LDL production also increased, plasma LDL-cholesterol levels remained essentially unchanged. Hydrogenated coconut oil had no effect on LDL receptor activity but increased the rate of LDL-cholesterol production causing plasma LDL-cholesterol levels to increase 46%. Dietary fish oil had no effect on the receptor-dependent transport of asialofetuin by the liver, suggesting that the effect of fish oil on hepatic LDL receptor activity was specific and not due to a generalized alteration in the physical properties of hepatic membranes. Finally, dietary fish oil increased hepatic cholesteryl ester levels and suppressed hepatic cholesterol synthesis rates, suggesting that the up-regulation of hepatic LDL receptor activity in these animals was not simply a response to diminished cholesterol availability in the liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Inappropriate hepatic cholesterol synthesis expands the cellular pool of sterol available for recruitment by bile acids in the rat.

These studies test the hypothesis that a major determinant of excessive biliary cholesterol secretion is a level of hepatic sterol synthesis that is inappropriately high relative to the needs of the liver cell for preserving cholesterol balance. Biliary cholesterol secretion was measured in vivo in two models after loading the hepatocyte with sterol by two different mechanisms. In the first model, cholesterol was delivered physiologically to the liver in chylomicron remnants. This resulted in a sixfold increase in cholesteryl ester content and marked suppression of cholesterol synthesis, but biliary cholesterol secretion remained essentially constant. In the second model, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl CoA reductase levels in the liver were markedly increased by chronic mevinolin (lovastatin) administration. Withdrawal of the inhibitor resulted in a sudden fivefold increase in the rate of sterol synthesis in the liver of the experimental animals that was inappropriately high for cellular needs. This excessive synthesis, in turn, was accompanied by a fivefold increase in the cholesteryl ester content, enrichment of microsomal membranes with cholesterol and, most importantly, by a threefold increase in the rate of biliary sterol secretion. As the rate of sterol synthesis gradually returned to normal over 48 h, the cholesterol ester content, the lipid composition of the microsomal membranes, and rate of cholesterol secretion into bile also returned to baseline values. These results further support the concept of functional compartmentalization of cholesterol in the hepatocyte. Derangements that cause an inappropriately high rate of sterol synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum may lead to an expansion of that pool of cholesterol that is recruitable by bile acids and, hence, to greater situation of the bile.

Animals↗