Lipoprotein modifications with changing dietary proteins in rabbits on a high fat diet.

Rabbits received a high-fat diet containing either casein or soya protein. Casein, in contrast to soya, enhanced the effect of the high-fat diet on the rise in plasma and liver cholesterol. The very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) of animals receiving casein showed an enrichment in cholesterol esters which coincided with a decrease in the triglyceride content. These cholesterol-rich beta lipoproteins may contribute to the potential atherogenicity of casein.