Abstract
Rats fed a low protein diet containing choline and in which casein supplemented with sulfur-amino acids is the protein source develop moderately fatty livers. In contrast to fatty livers due to ethionine or orotic acid administration, no decrease of total esterified fatty acids, phospholipids and cholesterols in the blood plasma was observed accompanying the accumulation of liver fat due to the amino acid imbalance. Addition of methionine to a protein free diet also increased liver fat without decrease of the concentration of plasma lipids. It was suggested that the impairment of lipoprotein synthesis or lipid transport from the liver would not be the main reason of fatty livers in the conditions of above mentioned amino acid imbalances. The supplement of threonine partially prevented the liver fat accumulation of rats fed a protein-free diet containing methionine accompanying the elevation of plasma lipids. The loss of body weight due to protein-free diet was remarkably reduced by the addition of both methionine and threonine.
