1978 Volume 6 Issue 1 Pages 121-128
Rats were fed in the following manner, 1) Normal diet for 16 weeks 2) High cholesterold diet for 8 weeks and then normal diet for 8 weeks 3) High cholesterol diet for 8 weeks and then normal diet plus pantethine for 8 weeks 4) High cholesterol diet for 16 weeks 5) High cholesterol diet for 8 weeks and then high cholesterol plus pantethine for 8 weeks 6) High cholesterol diet plus pantethine for 16 weeks.
Serum cholesterol level in rat fed a high cholestrol diet (HCD) for 16 weeks was considerably higher than in rat fed a normal diet (ND) for 16 weeks. The increased serum cholesterol was significantly lowered by administration of pantethine for 16 weeks or last 8 weeks.
Serum triglyceride, phospholipid were not changed. Acid cholesterol esterase activity, mainly located in lysosome, in arterila wall extract from rats fed a HCD for 16 weeks was observed to be decreased than in those from rats a ND for 16 weeks
In rats fed a HCD for 8 weeks and then ND for 8 weeks, serum cholesterol level was the same extent as normal diet for 16 weeks. However, acid cholesterol-esterase activity in those arterial wall extracts was not restored to the activity in rats fed a ND for 16 weeks. The activity was increased by administration of pantethine.
These results suggest that pantethine might protect deposition of cholesterol ester in arterial wall. The ratio of cholesterol ester synthesizing activity to alkaline cholesterol esterase activity, mainly located in microsome, was increased in arterial wall extract from rate fed a HCD for 16 weeks than in those from rats fed a ND for 16 weeks. The ratio in arterial wall extract from rats fed a HCD administered pantethine for 16 weeks was lower than in those from rats fed a HCD for 16 weeks. These results suggest that deposition of cholesterol ester might be increased in microsome of arterila wall and pantethine might protect the deposition. Triglyceride metabolism, such as lipase and triglyceride synthesizing activities, was not observed to be changed in arterila wall extract of rats in each feeding manner. From these results, lipid metabolism in arterial wall of rats fed a HCD and the value of the pantethine on lipid metablism in prevention and regression of atherosclerosis were discussed.
