Effect of anti-insulin serum on the hepatic lipid metabolism of BHE rats.

The effects of daily injections of anti-insulin serum (AIS) on the hepatic synthesis of lipids was studied in young male BHE rats after 3 weeks of feeding either a 45% carbohydrate 40% protein diet, a 65% sucrose diet, or a 65% protein diet. One-half of the animals in each diet group received injections daily with AIS, and the remaining animals in each group received injections with isotonic saline solution. After 3 weeks the animals were killed, and levels of serum insulin cholesterol, and triglycerides were determined as were the levels of liver lipid, cholesterol, fatty acid synthetase, and the conversion of acetate 14C to cholesterol 14C. AIS treatment lowered serum insulin levels, serum triglyceride levels, caloric intake, weight gain, liver weight, acetate 14C incorporation into cholesterol 14C, and the percentage of liver lipid that was cholesterol. Diet affected serum and liver lipid levels, fatty acid synthetase activity, and the incorporation of acetate 14C into cholesterol 14C. The results of this study show that the lipogenic characteristic of the BHE rat is diet dependent, but that this characteristic can be modified to a limited extent by AIS treatment. Further, the results also suggest that the hyperlipemic characteristic of these rats may be independent of the hyperinsulinemic characteristic.