Comparative Effects of Cottonseed Oil, Fatty Acids and Diethylstilbestrol upon Choline-Deficient Weanling Albino Rats

Abstract

Replacing 5% of cottonseed oil in a choline-deficient diet with 5% of commerical fatty acids, either high or low in unsaturation, or with 2% of cottonseed oil, significantly reduced the mortality rate of female rats. The mortality of female rats receiving a choline-deficient diet containing no added lipide was approximately equivalent to that of rats receiving 5% of cottonseed oil. The commercial fatty acids and 2% cottonseed oil diets also significantly decreased liver-lipide accumulation 8 to 12 days after diet initiation in comparison with results obtained with the 5% cottonseed oil diet. A commercial linoleic acid preparation was significantly more effective than any other lipide in reducing liver-lipide accumulation 42 days after diet initiation. Diethylstilbestrol provided complete protection against death to both males and females fed a choline-deficient diet even if it was fed at a level of 10 p.p.m. The growth depression which occurred in choline-deficient rats 8 to 12 days after diet initiation was prevented by diethylstilbestrol. The synthetic estrogen also significantly reduced liver lipide accumulation. Feeding moderately and highly unsaturated lipide to choline-deficient rats caused an increase in the unsaturation of liver lipide. The unsaturation increase appeared to be proportional to the extent of liver-lipide accumulation. Feeding highly saturated lipide did not decrease the unsaturation of liver lipide even though accumulation was extensive.