American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 44, 805-815, Copyright © 1986 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Effect of high-fat diet on cholesterol distribution in plasma lipoproteins, cholesterol esterifying activity in leucocytes, and erythrocyte membrane components studied: importance of body weight

KR Shanmugasundaram, A Visvanathan, K Dhandapani, N Srinivasan, P Rasappan, R Gilbert, S Alladi, S Kancharla and N Vasanthi

Effects of isocaloric changes in dietary fat on plasma lipoproteins and lipids and enzymes of erythrocytes and leucocytes were assessed. Subjects with a higher Brocca index showed increase in total and LDL cholesterol, significant reduction in HDL cholesterol, and increased total cholesterol:HDL cholesterol ratio after high-fat diet consumption. Due to high-fat diet feeding, erythrocyte membrane and leucocyte cholesterol and phospholipid contents were increased, cholesterol:phospholipid molar ratio was elevated, and erythrocyte enzymes (G6PD and 6PGD) and leucocyte enzymes (CEH and CES) were elevated. Erythrocyte membrane glycoprotein components showed marked increase, indicating possible alterations of membrane surfaces. The metabolic alterations were reversed slowly after resumption of the normal (low-fat) diet. Body weight plays an important role in the alterations in major lipoprotein cholesterol contents in response to changes in dietary fat composition. Cellular changes indicate alterations in structure and function of blood cells due to high-fat diet feeding.