[Changes of lipids metabolism during gallstone formation in rabbit model and the effects on these changes by high...

To study the changes of lipids metabolism during gallstone formation and the effects fo the exogenous high-density lipoprotein (HDL) preparation on the formation of gallbladder stone in rabbit model in which the stones were induced by high-cholesterol (HC) diet. The plasma lipids, the bile cholesterol, the activity of plasma lecithine cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), the bile acids in both bile and plasma, and the incidence of stone formation were investigated in the control group, HC group, and HC + HDL group (in this group the rabbits were given HDL preparation intravenously regularly). The results showed that the lipids metabolic disorder was characterized by a large amount of cholesterol accumulated in the rabbit's body and when the liver cleaned the accumulated cholesterol, the ratio of biliary cholesterol to bile acids was significantly increased. The latter could cause the production of lithogenic bile. Thought HDL preparation could decrease hepatic cholesterol and increase the level of plasma HDL2-C and the activity of LCAT, it could not lower the incidence of gallstone formation. The results suggest that the HDL preparation had some effects on lipids metabolism, but no significant effect on gallstone formation in rabbit model has been evidenced, so the problem awaits further studies.