IMPAIRMENT OF TRIGLYCERIDE TRANSPORT FROM THE LIVER IN CHOLINE DEFICIENCY

Abstract

The changes in liver and plasma lipids in choline deficiency were studied in vivo and in vitro. In choline deficiency, after a lag period of several days, total liver lipids rose rapidly and a relatively small decrease of plasma triglycerides was noted at about the same time. In the recovery experiments, a significant increase of plasma phospholipids occurred within 24 hours after choline had been restored to the diet of the deficient animals. When livers from normal rats (choline-supplemented) were perfused with blood diluted with buffer, triglyceride was released to the perfusate. Livers from choline-deficient rats (perfused with blood from similar deficient rats) failed to make a net contribution of triglyceride to the perfusate. A moderate recovery of transport of triglyceride from liver to plasma occurred within 4 to 7 days after choline had been restored to the diet of rats that had been fed the deficient diet for 3 weeks. These studies provided firm support for the hypothesis that, in choline deficiency, transport of triglyceride from the liver is impaired.