Effects of mast cell inhibition on plasma and aortic content of lipids, hexosamine, and hydroxyproline in rats. Role of thyroid gland.
Twenty-one-day-old rats were treated with mast cell inhibitors for four weeks. Some of the rats were thyroidectomized in the beginning of the experiment. Mast cell impairment decreased plasma cholesterol and increased plasma triglyceride levels; in aorta, there was a decrease in total protein, hexosamine and hydroxyproline levels, while triglyceride concentration increased and total cholesterol did not change. In thyroidectomized rats, mast cell impairment led to decreased plasma cholesterol and aortic triglyceride content, increased aortic hexosamine and hydroxyproline levels and did not change plasma triglycerides, aortic total cholesterol and total protein content. It was concluded that some effects of mast cell inhibition on arterial wall metabolism are mediated through the thyroid gland.