Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 1, 474-481, October 1960
Copyright © 1960 by Lipid Research, Inc.

Diet and cholesterolemia: V. effects of sulfur-containing amino acids and protein

J. C. Seidel , Narindar Nath , and A. E. Harper

Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison 6, Wisconsin

Interrelationships among the effects of dietary protein, sulfur-containing amino acids, and choline on the serum cholesterol concentration of the rat have been studied. Hypercholesterolemia was induced by feeding rats a diet containing cholesterol, cholic acid, and saturated fat. When the diet contained choline, additional casein alleviated the hypercholesterolemia. A similar effect was obtained with a supplement of methionine equal to the amount in the casein. Cystine and cysteine, but not taurine, were as effective as methionine. These and other observations suggest that the serum cholesterol-lowering effect of protein supplements is due largely to the sulfur-containing amino acids they provide. The omission of choline from the diet also alleviated the hypercholesterolemia; but when the choline-free diet was supplemented with either choline or methionine, serum cholesterol concentration increased. A supplement of choline alone caused a much greater rise than a supplement of methionine or combined supplementation with choline and methionine. Thus methionine appears to have two opposing effects on serum cholesterol concentration in rats fed a hypercholesterolemic diet lacking choline: (a) a cholesterol-elevating effect attributable to its ability to spare choline by providing a supply of preformed methyl groups, and (b) a cholesterol-lowering effect common to sulfur-containing amino acids and not dependent upon the provision of methyl groups.

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