Effects of dietary acetate and bicarbonate on experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits

Chronic hemodialysis, using acetate-containing dialysate, may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis in uremic patients. To assess the effect of acetate on plasma lipid levels and development of atherosclerosis, rabbits and rats were fed cholesterol-free semipurified atherogenic, Zn++-supplemented diets containing either 10% sodium acetate or sodium bicarbonate. Rabbit plasma cholesterol gradually increased during the 8-month study (58--485 mg/100 ml) but there was no significant difference between the acetate-fed and control groups. After 8 months, all rabbits had some degree of aortic intimal change. The changes involved a mean of 10% of the total aortic area. This involvement is much smaller than those previously reported and there was no significant difference between the acetate-fed rabbits and the control groups. Rabbit mortality was low (25%) and the mean weight increased from 1.7 to 2.7 kg. It is concluded that dietary acetate does not affect the rate and degree of development of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. Furthermore, supplemental dietary Zn++ may have been responsible for the low rabbit mortality rate, weight gain and possibly the retarded development of atherosclerosis.