The contrasting effect of dietary phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine on serum lipoproteins and liver lipids in rats.

The effect of dietary phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) added to cholesterol-free semipurified diet on serum lipoprotein and hepatic and fecal lipids was compared to the effect on rats fed soybean oil (controls). The dietary PE, but not PC, caused a decrease in serum cholesterol, phospholipid, apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and apoE and an increase in high molecular weight apoB. The simultaneous addition of PC and ethanolamine also decreased serum apoA-I and cholesterol. The distribution patterns of phospholipid subclasses in the liver and fatty acid composition of hepatic and plasma phospholipids were also altered by dietary PE. Both PE and PC increased to a similar extent the excretion of fecal neutral steroids and hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase activity compared to the controls. The present study, therefore, demonstrated for the first time that the PE in the soybean phospholipid preparation is responsible for the alterations of profiles of serum lipids and apoproteins in rats.