Iron deficiency hyperlipidemia in 18-day-old rat pups: effects of milk lipids, lipoprotein lipase, and triglyceride synthesis.

Three levels of iron (5, 29, 307 ppm iron) were fed to rats from conception through the 18th day of lactation. Dams in the 5 ppm iron group and pups in the 5 and 29 ppm iron groups developed anemia characterized by lower hemoglobin and hematocrit values than control animals. Liver and spleen levels of iron in dams and pups in the 5 and 29 ppm iron groups were lower than in the 307 ppm iron groups. Milk iron was lower in the 5 ppm iron group than in the 29 and 307 ppm iron groups. Pups in the 5 ppm iron group had hyperlipidemia characterized by elevated serum triglycerides, cholesterol, and phospholipids. Milk lipids and post-heparin plasma lipoprotein lipase levels in pups did not differ among experimental groups. Triglyceride and CO2 production from [U-14C]glucose were significantly greater in the iron-deficient pups than in control pups. Hyperlipidemia in 18-day-old iron-deficient rat pups appears to be related to increased endogenous production of triglycerides.