Long-term Effect of Starvation on Carp Plasma Lipoprotein Profiles

Abstract

We examined the changes in plasma lipoprotein profiles during the long-term starvation of carp. The carp could survive for 150 days without food, during which time they lost 20% of body weight. Starvation was accompanied by a significant decrease of lipoprotein-free components in their plasma. The carp prior to starvation possessed very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein-3 (HDL₃) in their plasma, and HDL₃ was the main component. The plasma VLDL concentration decreased rapidly reflecting low triacylglycerol levels in the liver of starved carp, while the plasma concentrations of LDL and HDL₃ remained almost constant throughout the starvation process. Starvation affected the lipid compositions of LDL and HDL₃, and cholesterol ester was substituted for triacylglycerol as main core lipid in these lipoproteins.