Abstract
In the previous paper1), the authors reported that it is necessary to investigate the cholesterol transport by plasma lipoproteins for the elucidation of plasma cholesterol reducing mechanism by Shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes).
To investigate the transport of cholesterol by lipoproteins, rats had been fed the Shiitake mushroom for 30 days, then rats were given cholesterol-4-14C orally and they were killed 12, 24, 36hr after the administration. Blood was removed and plasma lipoproteins were fractionated by ultra centrifugal flotation.
The results obtained were as follows:
1) Among cholesterol-free groups, the cholesterol content in all lipoproteins of the group fed mushroom was lower than that of the control, especially in d<1.019 (chylomicron+very low density lipoprotein) and d=1.063-1.21 (α-lipoprotein) fractions. Among cholesterol-fed groups, cholesterol content in d<1.019 and d=1.019-1.063 (β-lipoprotein) fractions of the group fed mushroom was lower than that of the control group.
2) As regards the proteins and phospholipids, their amounts in d<1.019 and α-lipoprotein fractions of the group fed mushroom were less than in the control. And it is suggested that the reduction of cholesterol levels is related to the reduction of the proteins and phospholipids contents in plasma lipoproteins.
3) The time course of the specific activity of cholesterol in plasma lipoprotein after the oral administration of labelled cholesterol indicated that the activity of the cholesterol level in the α-lipo- protein of the control group was higher than that of the respective group fed mushroom, however, the value for the cholesterol in β-lipoprotein of the control group was lower than that of the group fed mushroom.
These results indicated that after the feeding of Shiitake mushroom the transport of cholesterol from α-lipoprotein to β-lipoprotein was faster than in the control.
