[Lipid metabolism in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats (Part 6)]

Lipid metabolism in tissues and HDL were examined in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats. 1) Daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats showed the decreased phospholipids, the increased cholesterol content in heart. Phospholipids, triglycerides and cholesterol content in brain, lung and spleen were similar in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats and control rats. 2) Triglycerides content in hepatocytes was decreased in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats. But, cholesterol esters content in hepatocytes was higher in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats than control rats. 3) LCAT activity in serum was increased in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats. 4) Apolipoproteins composition of HDL in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats showed the increased apoA-I and the decreased apo E. These results show that the increased cholesterol esters in liver tissue are due to hepatocytes in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats. The increased HDL cholesterol content may contribute to the increase of LCAT activity in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats. The increase of LCAT activity in serum results in the increased apo A-I content in daunomycin-induced nephrotic rats. No direct evidence about the incorporation of HDL into liver is obtained from the present experiments and further study will be necessary to clarify this evidence.