Lipid Composition of Heart, Kidney and Lung in Guinea Pigs Made Anemic by Dietary Cholesterol

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Abstract
The lipid composition of heart, kidney and lung of cholesterol-fed anemic guinea pigs was investigated and compared with normal control guinea pigs. The heart showed a decrease of triglyceride, an increase in unesterified cholesterol, and a decrease of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the cholesterol-fed guinea pig. A relative increase in size of kidney was observed. The level of triglyceride decreased, and the unesterified cholesterol content increased. The enlarged lungs showed a marked increase of esterified cholesterol, a decrease of triglycerides, and increased amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the cholesterol ester and phospholipid fractions. All 3 organs showed a relatively high linoleate level in normal guinea pigs as compared with other laboratory rodents. These results were compared with data in the literature on rats and rabbits, species of rodents that show vaying degrees of susceptibility to a cholesterol-induced anemia. They are interpreted to indicate that these changes in lipid composition of heart, lung and kidney may be related in part to the increased functional burden to the organs due to the anemia and in part to a species-specific handling of lipids in the guinea pig.