Genetic differences in cholesterol absorption in 129/Sv and C57BL/6 mice: effect on cholesterol responsiveness

Two strains of mice with genetic differences in cholesterol absorption were examined with regard to cholesterolemic response. Results showed that 129/Sv mice absorbed twice as efficiently as C57BL/6 mice when fed a diet that was low in cholesterol. When fed lipid-enriched diets, the 129/Sv mice became more hypercholesterolemic than the C57BL/6 mice. The 129/Sv mice also had higher hepatic cholesterol levels. Analysis indicates that cholesterol absorption was not influenced by physicochemical factors but were linked to genetic differences in the translocation of sterol across epithelial cells.