Early Feeding Of A High-Cholesterol Diet Enhances Intestinal Permeability To Lipids In Rabbits

ABSTRACT: This study was undertaken in young and growing rabbits to establish the of feeding a high- (2%) cholesterol diet (HC) on the intestinal in vitro uptake of a homologous series of saturated fatty acids, dodecanol, cholesterol, and bile acids. In the jejunum there was an increase in the uptake of myristic acid and dodecanol in HC as compared with animals fed Purina Chow, whereas in the ileum the uptake of stearic acid, cholesterol, and taurocholic acid was reduced. There was increased jejunal uptake of medium-chain length fatty acids, increased incremental change in free energy (∫ Δ Fw i), increased uptake of palmitic, taurocholic acid, and glycocholic acid and reduced uptake of myristic acid and dodecanol in animals fed the high-cholesterol diet for 10 days followed by Purina Chow for 18 days (HC-chow), as compared with HC. There was also increased ileal uptake of palmitic acid in HC-chow as compared with HC but reduced ileal uptake of stearic acid, cholesterol, taurocholic acid, and glycocholic acid. In the colon, there was increased uptake of stearic acid and dodecanol in HC-C as compared with HC, but reduced uptake of cholesterol, taurocholic acid and glycocholic acid. These changes in lipid uptake were not explained by alterations in the mucosal surface area or in the animals' body weight gain. It is proposed that 1) early feeding experiences with a high-cholesterol diet may alter the normal development of intestinal transport of lipids with increased jejunal permeability to medium-chain fatty acids and increased effective resistance of the intestinal unstirred water layer; and 2) this effect of the high-cholesterol diet on the uptake of some lipids may not become manifest until the animals' diet is altered at a later age.