Dietary plant sterols prevented cholesterol gallstone formation in mice

Cholesterol gallstone disease is a common global condition. This study investigated the role of plant sterols (PS) in the prevention of gallstone formation and the underlying mechanisms. Adult male mice were fed a lithogenic diet (LD) alone or supplemented with PS (LD-ps), phospholipids (LD-pl) or both PS and phospholipids (LD-ps/pl) for 8 weeks. Incidences of gallstone formation were compared among the groups. Lipids in the bile, liver and serum were analyzed. The expression of genes involved in cholesterol absorption, transport and metabolism in the liver and small intestine was determined. The incidences of gallstone formation were 100% (10/10), 20% (2/10), 100% (10/10) and 40% (4/10) in the LD, LD-ps, LD-pl and LD-ps/pl groups, respectively. Serum cholesterol and intestinal cholesterol absorption were decreased in PS-supplemented mice. The expression of genes related to cholesterol transport and metabolism in the liver was down-regulated by dietary PS. PS supplementation decreased Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 expression in the small intestine and reduced intestinal cholesterol absorption. Our results demonstrated that PS could inhibit intestinal cholesterol absorption and thus prevent cholesterol gallstone formation.