Dietary Fat Saturation Affects Apolipoprotein Gene Expression and High Density Lipoprotein Size Distribution in Golden Syrian Hamsters

Our purpose was to elucidate the mechanisms whereby diets high in polyunsaturated fat lower plasma triglycerides and HDL cholesterol concentrations compared with diets hihh in saturated fat. Twenty-four male Golden Syrian hamsters (F1B strain) were fed semipurified diets containing 0.2 g cholesterol+15 g fat/100 g diet enriched (13 g/100 g) in either coconut oil or soybean oil for 18 wk. Consumption of the soybean oil diet was associated with significantly (P<0.001) lower mean concentrations of HDL cholesterol (28%), triglycerides (51%) and free fatty acids (51%), as well as a significantly lower proportion of large HDL particles