Effect of Hepatic Iron on Hypercholesterolemia and Hypertriacylglycerolemia in Copper-Deficient Fructose-Fed Rats

The purpose of this investigation was to establish whether plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol(s) in copper deficiency can be increased or decreased by hepatic iron levels. Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six dietary groups based on levels of dietary copper and iron. They were fed from weaning their respective diets for 6 wk. Forty percent of the copper-deficient rats fed a 15.7 μmol Fe/g diet died; 22% of those fed a diet containing 8.6 μmol Fe/g died; and there were no deaths in the 3.4 μmol Fe/g diet group. Rats belonging to the group fed the high-iron diet also exhibited the highest levels of liver iron, liver glutathione, and plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol(s) compared with those fed either the adequate or low levels of dietary iron. There was a direct correlation (r = 0.82 and 0.77, respectively) between levels of cholesterol and triacylglycerol(s) in plasma and hepatic iron concentrations. These results provide strong evidence that points to a major involvement of iron in the lipemia of copper deficiency. These data may be important to those individuals who consume large quantities of fortified iron foods and supplement with iron but whose intake of copper is suboptimal.