Dietary fat and cholesterol modulate the plasma lipoprotein distribution and production of pigment or cholesterol gallstones in hamsters.

To evaluate the impact of key dietary factors on plasma lipoproteins and gallstone induction, male Syrian hamsters were fed either cholesterol and fat-supplemented purified diets containing glucose or lactose, or cholesterol and fat-free diets with or without fiber, for 13 wk. Fat-supplemented hamsters were hyperlipidemic in comparison to those fed fat-free diets. The former group revealed a greatly expanded VLDL fraction, whereas a normal HDL2 pool predominated in the latter group. Plasma fatty acids indicated that hamsters fed the fat-free diet were essential fatty acid deficient whilst the hamsters fed the fat-supplemented diet were subnormal in essential fatty acids. Ninety-three percent of the hamsters fed the fat-supplemented diet had gallstones (mostly cholesterol), whereas 62% of hamsters fed the fat-free diet had gallstones (almost all pigmented). Lactose increased cecal weight and prevented pigment stone formation in the fat-supplemented hamsters, whereas adding fiber to the fat-free diet contributed essential fatty acids, eliminated cholesterol stones and enhanced pigment stone formation. Thus, diets containing casein, rice flour, glucose and fiber with minimal essential fatty acids but no cholesterol promoted pigment stones (associated with a normal lipoprotein profile); a low fat diet limited in essential fatty acids but containing cholesterol and lactose, promoted cholesterol gallstones (associated with an expanded VLDL pool).