A Comparative Study of the Effects of Bile Acids and Cholesterol on Cholesterol Metabolism in the Mouse, Rat, Hamster and Guinea Pig

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Abstract
Cholesterol concentrations in serum, liver and carcass, as well as acetate-1-C14 incorporation rates, were investigated in a comparative study on mice, rats, hamsters and guinea pigs, using a single standard basal diet supplemented in various ways with cholesterol and bile acids. When diets were supplemented with cholesterol, guinea pigs and hamsters accumulated large quantities of this sterol, whereas mice and rats were more refractory. In all species, cholesterol-containing diets inhibited incorporation of acetate-1-C14 into liver. None of the cholesterol or bile acid supplements had significant effects on carcass cholesterol concentrations in any of the species. Acetate-1-C14 incorporation into carcass remained unaffected in rat, mouse and hamster, but was inhibited in the guinea pig. Those bile acids that are present in the bile of a given species inhibited incorporation of acetate-1-C14 into liver cholesterol. Other bile acids had varying effects on cholesterol concentrations and synthesis rates. Hyodeoxycholic acid limited the accumulation of liver and blood cholesterol of animals fed atherogenic diets.