Hepatic Necrosis Induced by Dietary Means VI. The Effect of Varying the Level and Nature of Protein and the Level of Fat on the Development of Liver Necrosis

Abstract

The protein, fat, and carbohydrate components of a basal necrogenic diet have been fed at various levels to groups of 5 male weanling rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain. The protein moiety was varied by feeding yeast at levels of from 0 to 60% and casein at levels of from 0 to 7%. No liver necrosis occurred in groups fed rations devoid of protein or containing casein at levels of 1 or 2%. At concentrations of 3 and 4% casein there was a low incidence of liver damage, and none at levels of greater than 4%. When yeast was fed at concentrations of 30% or above, no liver damage was observed. Diets containing 5 to 18% yeast caused the death of all animals, due to liver necrosis. A comparison of the foregoing results indicates that some factor other than those previously described — cystine, methionine and alpha-tocopherol — has a profound effect on the development of acute massive hepatic necrosis. Increasing levels of fat produced concomitant increases in the necrogenicity of the basal diet. A ration free from fat prevented the development of liver necrosis. Variation in the carbohydrate level had no discernible effect on the necrogenicity of the basal diet.