Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Chevallier

Publications and source records attributed to F Chevallier.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Effect of dietary long-chain fatty acids on the rates of cholesterol turnover processes, cholesterol origin and distribution in the rat intestinal lumen.

Adult male rats were fed a semi-purified diet containing 20 p. 100 of lard or homogeneous triglycerides (tripalmitin, tristearin, triolein, trierucin) for 4 months. The rates of the processes (absorption, synthesis, degradation into bile acids, fecal and urinary excretion) involved in cholesterol turnover were measured using the isotope equilibrium method. The absorption coefficient of dietary cholesterol attained 71 +/- 3 p. 100 in rats fed the lard diet. It was unchanged in rats eating the triolein (73 +/- 3 p. 100) or tripalmitin (75 +/- 4 p. 100) diet but was drastically reduced in those receiving trierucin (45 +/- 1 p. 100) or tristearin (34 +/- 1 p. 100). Some functional and topological aspects of cholesterol absorption are discussed. Four to 6 times more endogenous cholesterol was found in the intestinal lumen of rats fed trierucin than in that of rats receiving a normolipid diet. Micelle cholesterol increase was also proportionally less. There was no direct relationship between the quantity of cholesterol found in the micelles and that absorbed. Dietary cholesterol was absorbed in the second as well as in the first half of the intestine, while the proportions of micellar cholesterol decreased continuously from the jejunum to the ileum. The rates of fecal excretion and fecal external secretion were inversely correlated to the absorption coefficient of dietary cholesterol, as has been previously described. The internal secretion was stimulated two to threefold in rats fed tristearin (22.3 +/- 0.7 mg/d), tripalmitin (28.4 +/- 4.6 mg/d) and trierucin (33.2 +/- 2.8 mg/d) as compared to rats fed lard (12.5 +/- 0.6 mg/d) or triolein (14.4 +/- 1.2 mg/d). Feeding a tripalmitin or a trierucin diet greatly increased cholesterogenesis (probably in the liver), while tristearin stimulated non-hepatic cholesterogenesis. The variations in daily bile acid elimination may be seen as an adaptive parameter, modulating its rate according to the cholesterol supply (absorption and synthesis).

Animals↗

Factors determining to biotransformation of cholesterol to bile acids in the rat: development of a new model.

This paper proposes a model for cholesterol metabolism in the rat based on extensive data obtained on rats in isotopic equilibrium with radioactive cholesterol. These data reveal that the rate of bile acid synthesis is closely related to cholesterol input. Hence the transformation of cholesterol into bile acids is conceived as a determinative process for the dynamics of the cholesterol system in the rat. This process is not per se regulated if the definition of regulation is as follows: to maintain constant a variable. In fact, the control of the transformation is dependent on the particulate transport of the plasma lipoproteins into the liver. In other words, from a physiological point of view, the process governing the net removal of cholesterol from the plasma into the liver is the limiting step for the cholesterol transformation into bile acids. Temporary losses or gains of cholesterol by the system modify the flow of the cholesterol transformation into bile acids during a transitory period. The effect of the exogenous taurocholate is so interpreted. Because this bile acid seems to act initially on the capacity of the liver to esterify free cholesterol, there results a loss of cholesterol which cannot be transformed into bile acids.

Animals↗

A new view of human cholesterolemia.

As the inflows in the cholesterol system by absorption and synthesis are known, laws governing the cholesterolemia of rats in dynamic equilibria have recently been deduced. The method of analysis used for rats was applied in this theoretical work to data obtained by various authors with normal men. Because the sum of the inflows are only furnished, the method cannot be developed completely. Nevertheless it appears that the laws should be common to rats and humans. According to this hypothesis, the major deduction is that the dynamics of plasma cholesterol is assured by a process whose parameter is a linear function of the synthesis flow. Consequently the concentration of cholesterol of the synthesis source is as lower as the synthesis flow higher. The turnover of alimentary cholesterol in the plasma follows that of synthesized cholesterol. Hence an increase of the synthesis flow also causes a decrease in the concentration of cholesterol from the alimentary source. Simultaneously however this latter concentration is proportional to the absorption flow of alimentary cholesterol. Application of the analysis method to data obtained from patients with various disorders suggests that their cholesterol-system is intrinsically the same as that of normal men. But it could not be shown whether the values of two constants involved in the parameter equation are modified or not.

Absorption↗

Diet and sterol biohydrogenation in the rat: occurrence of epicoprostanol.

The fecal sterols from rats fed several types of semipurified or commercial diets were analyzed by a combination of thin layer and gas liquid chromatography. In rats fed semipurified diets with lard, sucrose, and casein, increasing proportions of lard (0, 8, 20, 65%) enhanced the fecal coprostanol/coprostanol + cholesterol ratio (from 0.50 to 0.85). This ratio was reduced by replacing lard with triolein or a mixture of calcium oleate and linoleate (1:1) and did not change when trierucin was substituted. No coprostanol formation was observed in rats fed a diet with tripalmitin or tristearin. The addition of sodium hyodeoxycholate (0.5%) or cholestyramine (2%) to the basal diet was without effect on the coprostanol/coprostanol + cholesterol ratio in the feces. The addition of sodium taurocholate (0.2, 0.75, and 4%) strongly reduced coprostanol formation, while a chronic bile duct ligation led to an enhancement. Cholesterol feeding (0.05, 0.2, and 0.5% in the diet) slightly increased (from 51 to 66%) coprostanol formation. Trace amounts of epicoprostanol were generally found in the feces. However, in some cases a very high proportion (up to 60%) of this sterol was observed. Possible relationships between the presence of epicoprostanol and the nature of the diet are discussed.

Animals↗

Daily elimination of fecal neutral sterols by humans.

A study was made of the daily elimination of fetal neutral sterols in 22 healthy subjects and the average proportions of the main sterols were established. These were cholesterol (9.5%), its main bacterial transformation products: coprostanol (65%) and coprostanone (less than 6%), cholestanol (less than 2%), delta7-cholestenol (less than 2%) and phytosterols (18%). Epicoprostanol, which indicates a secondary mean of bacterial degradation of cholesterol has been searched for systematically. In general, traces only are present but in one case it amounts to more than 8% of the neutral sterols. The bulk of neutral sterols eliminated daily is very variable for different subjects and also for a same subject, although the concentration of fecal sterols is relatively constant (6.37 +/- 0.36 mg of sterols/g of feces). For a given subject under controlled diet conditions, differences in fecal elimination of sterols can essentially be ascribed to irregularity of digestive transit.

Adult↗

Effects of dietary fiber and salt mixtures on the cholesterol metabolism of rats.

The isotopic dilution method, which permits the in vivo measurements of the rates of the processes involved in cholesterol turnover, has been applied to rats fed a commercial stock diet or a basal semipurified diet in which either the nature and proportions of the source of dietary fiber or the salt mixture were changed. The cholesterolemia was about 100 mg/100 g in rats fed agar-agar, cellulose, bran or the stock diet. Pectin addition (5%) lowered significantly the plasma concentration of cholesterol (70 mg/100 g). Changes in the source of dietary fiber or salt mixture have moderate effects on the absorption coefficient of dietary cholesterol (range 58.2%-82%). In comparison to agar-agar, cellulose at 2.3% in the diet significantly lowered this coefficient, but larger amounts of cellulose (6.8% or 12.3%), or pectin (5%) were without effect, while bran addition (10%) tended to slightly decrease cholesterol absorption. Hence, high levels of cellulose in the diet increased the absorption coefficient in comparison to a low cellulose diet. A decrease of this coefficient was also observed when the calcium content of the diet was increased. Cholesterol biosynthesis and fecal excretion were inversely correlated to the absorption coefficient of dietary cholesterol in rats fed all of the semipurified diets indicating, as previously shown, that the intestine was the major source of biosynthesized cholesterol diverted into the plasma. However, feeding a commercial stock diet greatly increased the cholesterogenesis and the fecal elimination of bile acids, suggesting a high hepatic cholesterogenesis.

Animals↗

[Unexpected demonstration of copper deficiency in the rat].

During many years, Wistar's rats were fed after weaning a semipurified diet containing 0.4 ppm copper and did not present clinical disorders of copper deficiency. Rats of same strain fed on the same diet, but housed in a new physical environment presented, a year later, specific signs of deficiency. A new salt-mixture raising the copper content of the diet to, 5.2 ppm made the deficiency signs diseapear and the rats growth come back to the initial rate. These results showed once again the important relations existing between the organism and its physical environment, the diet being just one of these elements. Rigorous breeding conditions, animal selection and modernisation of animal houses involve a specific feeding related to this new conditions particularly when semipurified diets are used for weaning rats.

Animals↗

[Regulation of cholesterol levels in plasma and liver of adult rats].

The dynamics of cholesterol-system in the plasma is characterized by a parameter which is a linear function of the internal secretion of cholesterol. So, the level of plasma cholesterol from synthesis is a low as its flow is high. Moreover, the level of plasma cholesterol from diet is simultaneously proportional to the flow of cholesterol intestinal absorption and dependent on the dynamics controlled by the internal secretion. The laws of the cholesterolemia cumulate these partial laws. Similar relations concern the esterified cholesterol in the liver.

Animals↗

Effects of the thyroid state on cholesterol metabolism in the rat.

An isotopic equilibrium method which permits the in vivo measurements of cholesterol turnover processes was applied to different groups of rats: (1) radiothyroidectomized, (2) low-iodine fed, and (3) L-thyroxin fed. Plasma cholesterol concentrations were enhanced after thyroidectomy and reduced by large dose of L-thyroxin. A low-iodine diet decreased plasma thyroxin level but did not affect plasma cholesterol. Thyroid levels in plasma modified the coefficient of intestinal absorption of cholesterol. After thyroidectomy or under conditions of reduced thyroxin formation this absorption coefficient was enhanced. The absorption coefficient of cholesterol was decreased in rats receiving 31 or 61.5 mug/day of L-thyroxin but was not changed in rats fed 110 mug/day L-thyroxin. The proportion of de novo biosynthetisized cholesterol eliminated into the feces (external secretion) was reduced while thyroxin levels were low. The fecal excretion of cholesterol and the in vitro exchange of cholesterol between erythrocytes and plasma were increased by L-thyroxin ingestion. The rate of cholesterol biosynthesis was decreased after thyroidectomy and enhanced by L-thyroxin feeding. In fact, changes in thyroid state modified indirectly the biosynthesis of cholesterol by its effects on metabolism and on the coefficient of intestinal absorption of cholesterol.

Animals↗

Elongation of (omega-14C)oleic acid and (omega-14C)nervonic acid.

During feeding experiments with [omega-14C]oleic acid and [omega-14c]nervonic acid to adult rats, 14C-labelled C26, C28 and C30 fatty acids were recovered from the intestinal mucosa, liver, plasma, kidney and stools. The structures of these fatty acids were determined by g.l.c., radio-g.l.c. and mass spectrometry. The Schmidt and Ginger degradation methods indicated that most of the 14C found in these extra-long fatty acids remained in the omega position. These radioactive extra-long fatty acids were found mainly in the polar lipids of rats killed 3 or 15 h after being fed on labelled oleic acid or nervonic acid. Rats killed 63 h later yielded only traces of these extra-long fatty acids. When the rats were given antibiotics or received the same radioactive fatty acids by intravenous injection, the labelled extra-long fatty acids could not be detected in any of the tissues. We conclude that they were probably synthesized by elongation of oleic acid and nervonic acid by intestinal micro-organisms (probably yeasts) and then absorbed by the intestinal mucosa.

Animals↗