FACTORS ALTERING CONCENTRATION OF BLOOD LIPIDS 415 



to 44 milligram per cent, and esterified cholesterol changed from 141 to 

 116 milligram per cent. The authors ascribe these changes to the deficient 

 diet. Moreover, Anderson and Keys 358 reported that the serum cholesterol 

 of patients decreased 21 milligram per cent over a four-week period when 

 the fat was decreased from 140 to 70 g. daily in an equicaloric diet containing 

 0.7 g. of cholesterol. After the preliminary decrease during the first four 

 weeks, no further adjustment in blood cholesterol was noted over the follow- 

 ing thirty-two weeks. Tanner 359 suggested that a relationship exists 

 between the serum cholesterol level and physique; a correlation was also 

 noted between the cholesterol level and the thickness of various fat folds. 



Various explanations have been offered for the increased cholesterol in 

 cases in which a hypercholesterolemia follows fat feeding. Some workers 

 ascribed the increased blood cholesterol to synthesis, although Terroine 226 

 states that there is no evidence for such an hypothesis. Moreover, Alfin- 

 Slater and co-workers 360 have reported that no differences in the rate of 

 cholesterol synthesis obtain in rats receiving diets containing 30% of 

 fat, and regimens with only 2% of this foodstuff, respectively. Moreover, 

 there are no known reserves of cholesterol sufficient to account for the in- 

 crease in cholesterol which has been described by some investigators. 

 Milbradt, 356 who observed an increase in plasma cholesterol in rabbits fol- 

 lowing the feeding of triolein, explained the rise as resulting from a washing 

 out of cholesterol from the tissues, since he noted a simultaneous decrease 

 in adrenal cholesterol. 



Bloor 7 suggested the possibility that a reabsorption of bile cholesterol 

 may well be the source of this sterol in the blood. On the basis of the cal- 

 culations of Burger, 361 an adequate supply of the sterol would be available 

 if a recirculation of bile cholesterol followed the administration of fat. 

 Another suggestion as to a possible relationship between cholesterol and 

 dietary fat is that of Schramm and Wolff. 362 These workers suggest that 

 cholesterol aids in the absorption of fat by combining with fatty acids and 

 facilitating their transport from the intestine. When the total fat intake 

 is reduced, less cholesterol is required, and a decrease in blood cholesterol 

 occurs. 



It has recently been observed by Alfin-Slater el al. 363 that, although a 



358 J. T. Anderson and A. Keys, Federation Proc, 12, 169 (1953). 



359 J. M. Tanner, /. Physiol, 109, 13 P (1949). 



360 R. B. Alfin-Slater, M. C. Schotz, F. Shimoda, and H. J. Deuel, Jr., /. Biol Chem., 

 195, 311-315(1952). 



361 M. Burger, Ergeb. inn. Med. u. Kinderheilk., 34, 583-701 (1928). 



362 G. Schramm and A. Wolff, Z. physiol. Chem., 263, 61-72 (1940). 



363 R. B. Alfin-Slater, L. Aftergood, A. F. Wells, and H. J. Deuel, Jr., Arch. Biochem. 

 Biophys., in press, 1954. 



