Effect of copper intake on blood lipids in rat

Objective To research the effect of copper intake on the blood lipid in rats, and to provide data for quanti-tative risk a ssessment of copper-induced a thero sclerosis(AS).Methods Wistar rats were fed with special feeds without copper, and stock diet was given with copper gluconate in different dose using stomach tube every day for 30 days.The relation ships between copper intake and the indexes of blood lipid such as total chole sterol(TG), trig lyceride, high-density lipopro teincholesterol, low-density lipopro tein chole sterol(LDL-C), apolipoprote in A1(ApoAI) and apolipo prote in B(AopB) in the rats were analyzed.Results When the copper intake was lower than 0.047 mg/kg·bw, the A poB in the rat serum was 0.31-0.35 g/L, and the LDL-C was 0.37-0.43 mmol/L; both of them were higher than those of normal level with statistical significance(P < 0.05).When the copper in take was lower than 0.175mg/kg·bw, the TG was in the range of 1.28-1.53 mmol/L, higher than that of normal leve l with statistical sign ificance(P < 0.05).When the copper in take was 4.015m g/kg·bw, both the HDL-C and the A poA1(0.12±0.02g/L) in the ratserum were higher than normal level compared with those of the normal control with statistical significance(P < 0.05).Conclusion The abnormal copper intake could produce different effects on lipids of serum and acce lerate or prevent the occurrence and development of AS.