Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 7, 473-478, July 1966
Copyright © 1966 by Lipid Research, Inc.

Lipid metabolism in fatty liver of lysine- and threonine-deficient rats

R. Viviani , A. M. Sechi , and G. Lenaz

Istituto di Chimica Biologica, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, e Istituto di Biochimica, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Rats were fed a low protein diet deficient in and supplemented with lysine and threonine. Liver lipids contained more lecithin, sphingomyelin, and free fatty acids, and less amino phospholipids in the deficient rats. No variations in fatty acid composition of choline- and ethanolamine-containing phospholipids were found; only palmitic acid was increased in the serine-containing phospholipids of the deficient animals. The incorporation of acetate-¹⁴C into phospholipids, but not into other liver lipids, was lower in deficient rats.

In the plasma of deficient rats the concentration of esterified fatty acids and phospholipids was lower, of free fatty acids higher, than in the controls. The fatty acid composition of depot fat differed from that of liver neutral fat both in deficient and supplemented animals.

The results presented establish that multiple metabolic defects resulting from lysine and threonine deficiency accompany the fatty liver. The design of the experiments does not permit conclusions to be drawn regarding the causal relationship between the various alterations in lipid metabolism and the fatty liver.

Supplementary key words amino acid deficiency • fatty • liver • phospholipids • metabolism • composition • adipose tissue • depot fat • plasma lipids • rat

Submitted on September 17, 1965
Accepted on February 25, 1966

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