Biochemical and Histochemical Changes in Aorta of Chicks Fed Vegetable Oils and Cholesterol

Summary

Portions of aorta of chicks fed coconut oil, sesame oil, mustard oil and hydrogenated groundnut oil, with or without simultaneous administration of cholesterol, for 8 weeks were analyzed for cholesterol, phospholipids, hexosamine and hydroxyproline. The distribution of elastic tissue, acid mucopolysaccharides and lipids in the aorta was also studied by histochemical methods. Feeding of cholesterol with or without oils increased cholesterol and phospholipids in different portions of aorta. Oils when fed alone increased the phospholipids without changing the cholesterol of the aorta. Hexosamine content of the aorta diminished when vegetable oils other than sesame oil were fed either alone or in combination with cholesterol. This indicated a decrease in mucopolysaccharide content of the aorta, Hydroxyproline of aorta increased when chicks were fed vegetable oils with cholesterol. The increase in arterial collagen, as evidenced by its hydroxyproline content, appeared to be proportional to the degree of hypercholesteremia, Feeding of oils with cholesterol increased lipid and acid mucopolysaccharide contents of the aorta, proliferation of the intima, and fragmentation or complete disappearance of the elastic tissue in the intima and media. The changes were most marked in the arch of aorta. Elastic tissue changes coupled with disturbances in the metabolism of mucopolysaccharides and collagen might alter the permeability of the arterial wall resulting in atheroma formation. The severity or degree of the different changes was neither related to the plasma level of cholesterol nor to the saturation or unsaturation of the vegetable oils used.