Chylomicron metabolism in experimental cirrhosis and cholestasis.

Recently it has been demonstrated that artificial emulsions made of lecithin, cholesterol, cholesteryl-oleate and triolein simulate the metabolism of the natural chylomicra. Artificial-chylomicron delipidation and remnant disappearance from plasma were investigated in rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic cirrhosis or with cholestasis due to bile-duct ligation. Artificial chylomicra were labelled simultaneously with glyceryl tri [9, 10 (N)-3H] oleate and cholesteryl [1-14C] oleate and injected intra-arterially. Simultaneous chylomicron delipidation and remnant removal by the liver were calculated from the plasma radioactivity decay curves: that of glyceryl tri [9, 10 (N)-3H] oleate signifying the combined delipidation and particle-removal processes, whereas that of cholesteryl [1-14C] oleate representing the particle disappearance rate from plasma. Particle delipidation was increased in cirrhosis and decreased in cholestasis, implying faster and slower lipolysis rates respectively. On the other hand, the remnant removal rate by the liver slowed down in both experimental pathologies.