Refeeding after ingestion of diets containing 10% soybean protein associated with various concentrations of alginate or sodium carrageenan. Effects on growth and lipid parameters in the rat]

Male 21-d-old Wistar rats were fed over 3 experimental periods. During the first period of 4 wk, diets contained 10% casein or defatted soy flour proteins, with or without 0.5, 1, 2 or 3% sodium alginate or sodium carrageenan, and were heated. During the second period, they were fed a standard diet for 16 wk with 17% proteins, and during the third period, they received the same diet as in the first period, but with 20% proteins. Rat body weights were measured throughout the study period; plasma lipid levels were then determined after fasting. Presence of sodium alginate in the diet had no effect on growth, but rats fed carrageenan presented growth retardation at the end of the experimental period, which was not altered by refeeding the standard diet. Sodium alginate did not modify rat triglyceridemia, except at the 1% level. Carrageenan had a hypotriglyceridemic effect. Alginate and carrageenan had no effect on blood cholesterol. Compared to soybean protein, casein intake did not increase plasma cholesterol levels as generally described. The effect of carrageenans on growth and plasma triglyceride levels could be a result of their physico-chemical properties.     

Relationship between dietary tyrosine and plasma cholesterol in the rat

The present study was undertaken to measure the effects of dietary tyrosine added to fish protein and peanut meal on plasma cholesterol and plasma thyroid hormone levels in the rat. These dietary proteins were chosen because they contain similar amounts of tyrosine but release it at different rates during enzymatic hydrolysis. Casein was chosen as the reference protein. Supplementation was used to obtain tyrosine levels similar to that of casein. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed cholesterol-enriched diets containing 15% protein. After 3 weeks of experimental feeding, total postprandial plasma cholesterol was similar in the casein and peanut meal groups and significantly lower in the fish group. When added to the fish diet, tyrosine caused an increase in plasma cholesterol to a level similar to that of the casein group, whereas supplementation had no effect on plasma cholesterol of rats fed the peanut meal diet. The effects of dietary proteins or of tyrosine supplementation on cholesterol levels of the (density less than 1.006 g/mL) lipoprotein fraction were comparable, but not all significant, to those observed on total plasma cholesterol. In addition, casein and fish diets induced significantly higher levels of plasma triiodothyronine (T3) and lower levels of plasma thyroxine (T4) than did the peanut meal diet. However, the addition of tyrosine to the fish or the peanut meal diet did not modify the plasma thyroid hormone levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Nutritional assessment and fate of DNA of soybean meal from roundup ready or conventional soybeans using rats

This study was conducted to compare the safety of soybean meal prepared from genetically modified (GM) glyphosate-tolerant (Roundup Ready; RR) soybeans and conventional soybeans. Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats (40 males and 40 females) were randomly allotted to one of four groups according to sex and body weight for a 13-week feeding experiment. The rats were fed corn-based diets containing 60% conventional soybean meal, a mixture of 30% conventional and 30% RR soybean meal, 60% or 90% RR soybean meal. All diets were adjusted to an identical nutrient level except the 90% RR diet. The two soybean meals were similar in chemical analysis and amino acid composition. During the 13-week growth trial, body weight (P < 0.05) and feed intake (P < 0.05) decreased only in rats fed with 90% RR soybean meal at the first week. No treatment-related deaths occurred during the experiment. Gross necropsy findings, haematological or urinalysis values and clinical serum parameters showed no meaningful differences between rats fed the control and RR soybean meals. A 145 bp of cp4 epsps gene specific for the GM constructs from RR soybean meal or a 407 bp of lec gene from endogenous soybean DNA could not be detected in investigated masseter muscle samples. No adverse effects of glyphosate-tolerant soybean meal on rats were seen even at levels as high as 90% of the diet.     

Differential effects of dietary flaxseed protein and soy protein on plasma triglyceride and uric acid levels in animal models

The effect of dietary soy protein and flaxseed meal on metabolic parameters was studied in two animal models, F344 rats with normal lipid levels and obese SHR/N-cp rats with elevated levels of cholesterol and triglyceride. The rats were fed AIN 93 diet differing only in the source of protein. The rats were fed either 20% casein, 20% soy protein or 20% flaxseed meal. Plasma was analyzed for cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine and total protein. In both strains of rats, flaxseed meal significantly decreased plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. The effect of soy protein on lipids was not as striking as that of flaxseed meal. Flaxseed meal also lowered uric acid in F344 rats and BUN in SHR/N-cp rats. Since cholesterol, triglyceride and uric acid are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disorders, our data show that both flaxseed meal and soy protein may have beneficial effects. Which chemical constituent(s) of flaxseed meal or soybean is (are) responsible for the beneficial effects need to be identified.     

Nutritional assessment and fate of dna of soybean meal from roundup ready or conventional soybeans using rats

This study was conducted to compare the safety of soybean meal prepared from genetically modified (GM) glyphosate-tolerant (Roundup Ready; RR) soybeans and conventional soybeans. Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats (40 males and 40 females) were randomly allotted to one of four groups according to sex and body weight for a 13-week feeding experiment. The rats were fed corn-based diets containing 60% conventional soybean meal, a mixture of 30% conventional and 30% RR soybean meal, 60% or 90% RR soybean meal. All diets were adjusted to an identical nutrient level except the 90% RR diet. The two soybean meals were similar in chemical analysis and amino acid composition. During the 13-week growth trial, body weight (P?P?cp4 epsps gene specific for the GM constructs from RR soybean meal or a 407?bp of lec gene from endogenous soybean DNA could not be detected in investigated masseter muscle samples. No adverse effects of glyphosate-tolerant soybean meal on rats were seen even at levels as high as 90% of the diet.     

Nutritional properties of four marine microalgae for albino rats

The nutritive value of the marine microalgaeTetraselmis suecica, Isochrysis galbana, Dunaliella tertiolecta andChlorella stigmatophora was studied in diets given to rats. Biological assays were carried out in order to determine the Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) and the Food Conversion Efficiency (FCE). Each dried microalga was fed to weaning Wistar albino rats as the sole protein source at a protein level of 12%. Control rats were given diets containing 12 % casein. Food consumption was similar in all groups. PER values obtained were 1.14 withT. suecica diet, 1.13 withI. galbana diet, 2.07 withD. tertiolecta diet and 1.13 withC. stigmatophora diet (casein, 2.50). FCE values followed a similar pattern. The data showed that the marine microalgaD. tertiolecta is a source of protein of good quality. Its PER is quite high, compared to vegetable and cereal proteins, and compares favourably with other microbial protein sources, such as yeasts or different freshwater microalgae. Haematological tests showed no significant differences among the groups in haemoglobin levels, red and white blood cell counts, differential count and mean corpuscular volume. Different blood parameters were also determined and a significant decrease in triglycerides levels appeared with all the microalgal diets, whereas a significant decrease in cholesterol appeared inD. tertiolecta andC. stigmatophora diets.     

Reduction by phytate-reduced soybean beta-conglycinin of plasma triglyceride level of young and adult rats.

This study examined the effects of soybean beta-conglycinin, from which phytate was mostly removed, on the plasma lipids in young and adult rats. Male Wistar young (6 week-old) and adult (21 week-old) rats were fed high cholesterol diets containing 20% casein, soy protein isolate (SPI), or soybean beta-conglycinin for 10 days. In young rats, although the food intake of the beta-conglycinin group was higher than those of the casein and SPI groups, the weight gain was significantly lower than those of the other groups. However, in adult rats, the weight gain was not different among the groups. In young and adult rats, relative liver weights of SPI and beta-conglycinin groups were significantly lower than that of the casein group, and the degree of the reduction was more marked in the beta-conglycinin group than in the SPI group. In young rats, the plasma triglyceride level was significantly lower in the SPI and beta-conglycinin groups than that in the casein group. In addition, the plasma triglyceride level of the beta-conglycinin group was significantly lower than that of the SPI group. Plasma total cholesterol levels of the SPI and beta-conglycinin groups were significantly lower than that of the casein group. However, there was little difference in the lowering effect between SPI and beta-conglycinin. These results indicate that soybean beta-conglycinin may have lowering functions not only on plasma total cholesterol level, but also on plasma triglyceride level.     

Liver and plasma copper concentrations in rats fed diets containing various proteins

The question was addressed whether the type of dietary protein influences copper (Cu) concentrations in liver and plasma of rats. For this purpose, weanling female rats were fed diets containing as the sole source of protein either soybean protein, casein, amino acid mixtures simulating soybean protein or casein, lactalbumin, ovalbumin, or herring meal. The diets were balanced for residual Cu in the protein preparations. The type of protein and the composition of the amino acid mixture did not differentially influence liver Cu concentrations. Liver Cu was significantly lowered after feeding the amino acid mixtures when compared with the intact proteins. Plasma Cu concentrations were not affected by the type of protein in the diet.     

Protein utilization in correlation to protein intake

In a 14-day experiment, weaned and adult rats were given ad libitum isocaloric diets with a mounting casein content (5, 10, 15, 25 and 40% by weight) and growth parameters of protein biological value, PER and NPR, and the utilization parameters NPU (body protein) and LPU (liver protein) were determined together with phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (gluconeogenetic enzyme) and pyruvate kinase (glycolytic enzyme) activity in the animals' liver. The decrease in all the biological value parameters in weaned rats on 25% and 40% casein diets and in adult rats on 15%, 25% and 40% casein diets shows that these concentrations are too high for the organism. The decrease in PER and diminished weight and body and liver nitrogen increments in both age groups in animals with a low protein intake is evidence that 5% casein is an inadequate concentration. The optimum diet for weaned rats is thus a 15% casein diet and for adult rats a 10% casein diet, as confirmed by the linear correlation between weight increments, body and liver nitrogen and protein intake and also by gluconeogenetic enzyme activity. Under the given experimental conditions the study is a contribution to the determination of optimum physiological doses of proteins.     

Dietary protein and fatty acid composition of liver lipids in the rat

In order to compare the effects of different sources of dietary protein on the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylcholines (PC), phosphatidylethanolamines (PE), phosphatidylinositols (PI), cholesteryl esters and triacylglycerols, male rats were fed for a 4-week period on cholesterol-free, or cholesterol-containing, diets based on casein, or soybean protein and olive oil. The most conspicuous difference observed was the occurrence of significantly higher levels of 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid, 20:3 (n - 9), in the different lipid classes of casein-fed, compared with soybean protein-fed, animals. In the PI fraction of livers from the groups of rats fed casein diet, this fatty acid amounted to between 9.9 and 13.3% by weight of the total fatty acids. Phospholipids from livers of casein-fed rats contained increased levels of oleic acid, 18:1 (n - 9) (in PC and PE) and reduced levels of stearic acid (18:0). Moreover, in this group of rats PI contained a reduced level of arachidonic acid, 20:4 (n - 6). A casein-related decrease in the linoleic acid, 18:2 (n - 6), content of PC and PE was observed only in the rats fed on cholesterol-free diet. Effects on the fatty acid composition were also observed in the triacyglycerol and cholesteryl ester fractions, in which the rats fed casein diet showed higher levels of palmitoleic acid, 16:1 (n - 7) (cholesterol-supplemented diet) and lower values for linoleic acid, than the soybean protein-fed rats.     

Dietary soybean protein moderates the deleterious disturbance of lipid metabolism caused by exogenous oxidized cholesterol in rats.

Effects of dietary protein on oxidized cholesterol-induced disturbance of lipid metabolism were examined in 4 week old male Sprague-Dawley rats, using casein and soybean protein as dietary protein source. The rats were given one of the two proteins in 0. 078% cholesterol (control), 0.25% cholesterol or 0.25% oxidized cholesterol mixture (containing 0.078% cholesterol) diets. Dietary oxidized cholesterol, compared to cholesterol, tended to inhibit hepatic sterol biosynthesis in casein-fed rats, whereas this inhibitory action was slightly moderated by intake of soybean protein. As a result, the hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity was rather higher in the rats fed oxidized cholesterol than in those fed cholesterol in the soybean protein-fed group. The hepatic cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase activity tended to be higher in the rats fed oxidized cholesterol than in those fed control diet in the soybean protein-fed group, despite the fact that oxidized cholesterol lowered the hydroxylase activity in the casein-fed group. On the other hand, dietary oxidized cholesterol tended to slightly enhance the hepatic Delta6 desaturase activity in the casein-fed group; however, this observation was not shown in the soybean protein-fed group. Moreover, dietary soybean protein facilitated fecal oxidized cholesterol excretion and simultaneously inhibited the accumulation of oxidized cholesterol in serum and liver. In conclusion, dietary soybean protein alleviated the deleterious actions of exogenous oxidized cholesterol on hepatic cholesterol and linoleic acid metabolism, although these efficacies were not necessarily significant. A great part of these moderations may be exerted by the specific hypocholesterolemic function of soybean protein, such as the stimulation of fecal oxidized cholesterol excretion, the change of hormonal release and modulation of lipoprotein catabolism.     

不同添加方式植酸酶处理豆粕对牙鲆生长和饲料利用率的影响

以初始平均体重(2.02±0.02)g的牙鲆(Paralichthys olivaceus)为实验对象,进行为期70d的摄食生长实验,研究不同添加方式的植酸酶对牙鲆生长和饲料利用的影响。在5000.0g豆粕中添加2.5g植酸酶,然后用产朊假丝酵母(Candidautilis)进行发酵预处理,得到植酸酶预处理豆粕。共制作4种等氮等能(粗蛋白49.7%、总能20.9kJ/g)饲料,对照饲料主要以鱼粉为蛋白源;在对照饲料的基础上,用豆粕蛋白替代45%的鱼粉蛋白配制成豆粕组饲料;在每千克豆粕组饲料中添加1000IU植酸酶,配制成植酸酶组饲料;用植酸酶预处理豆粕蛋白替代45%的鱼粉蛋白配制成植酸酶预处理豆粕组饲料。结果表明,与对照组相比较,用豆粕蛋白替代饲料中45%的鱼粉蛋白,若不添加植酸酶则显著降低牙鲆的特定生长率(P0.01)、饲料效率、蛋白质效率和氮贮积率(P0.05);直接添加植酸酶组、植酸酶预处理豆粕组牙鲆的特定生长率、饲料效率、蛋白质效率和氮贮积率与鱼粉对照组相比较没有出现显著差异(P0.05);与不添加植酸酶的豆粕组相比较,在含豆粕饲料中添加1000IU/kg饲料的植酸酶显著提高牙鲆的特定生长率(P0.01)、氮贮积率(P0.05)和磷贮积率(P0.01),显著降低氮排放率(P0.05)和磷排放率(P0.01),但饲料效率和蛋白质效率没有显著变化(P0.05);在豆粕中添加植酸酶进行发酵预处理,降低了豆粕中植酸含量,在饲料中添加植酸酶预处理豆粕显著提高牙鲆的特定生长率(P0.01)、饲料效率、蛋白质效率和氮贮积率(P0.05),显著降低氮(P0.05)、磷和钙的排放率(P0.01)。       

Dietary orotic acid affects antioxidant enzyme mRNA levels and oxidative damage to lipids and proteins in rat liver

We investigated the effects of the dietary addition of orotic acid on liver antioxidant enzymes, mRNA levels of these enzymes, and peroxidative products by comparing casein with soy protein as the source of dietary protein. Rats fed the casein diet accumulated more liver lipids than those fed the soy protein diet when orotic acid was added. The addition of orotic acid lowered both the activity of liver Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase and the level of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase mRNA. The addition of orotic acid led to a significant increase in the contents of conjugated dienes and protein carbonyls in the liver. In addition, dietary soy protein protected the increase in the levels of lipids and proteins peroxide induced by orotic acid. The addition of orotic acid to the casein diet increased the activities of both serum ornithine carbamoyltransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Thus, liver damage might result from the increased superoxide anion due to the decrease in the activity of hepatic superoxide dismutase, as well as increase in the production of hepatic peroxidative products in rats fed the casein diet with orotic acid.     

Conversion of Biotin Diaminocarboxylic Acid into Biotin and Bisnorbiotin by Resting Cell System of Microorganisms

The effects of dietary fat and protein levels on the conversion of Trp-Nam were investigated. In rats fed with 20% casein diets, the Trp-Nam conversion ratio [(urinary excretion of Nam + MNA + 2-Py + 4-Py in μmol/day)/(daily Trp intake during urine collection in μmol/day) × 100] was about 4.3% for the groups fed with the 20% corn oil and 20% soybean oil diets, 2.8% for the group fed with the 20% lard diet, and 2.1 % for the group fed with the no fat diet. In rats fed with 40% casein diets, a similar phenomenon was observed, but the ratios were 2.0%, 2.4%, 1.6%, and 0.8% for the groups fed with the 20% corn oil, 20% soybean oil, 20% lard, and no fat diets, respectively. From these results, it was found that an increase in fat intake elevated the conversion ratio regardless of the dietary protein level, while an increase in protein intake reduced it.     

Effects of dietary soybean peptides on hepatic production of ketone bodies and secretion of triglyceride by perfused rat liver

Soybean protein isolate (SPI) was digested with protease to produce a peptides containing the low-molecular fraction (LD3) or a mixture of high- and low-molecular fractions (HD1). Rats were fed a diets containing SPI, LD3, or HD1 at a protein level equivalent to the 20% casein diet for 4 weeks. The serum triglyceride concentration was lower in rats fed SPI, LD3, and HD1 diets than in rats fed the casein diet, and the differences were significant for the cholesterol-enriched diet. The value for the LD3 group was the lowest among all groups for both the cholesterol-free and -enriched diets. The level of triglyceride in the post-perfused liver was significantly lower in the LD3 and HD1 groups and the SPI group than in the casein group irrespective of the presence of cholesterol in the diet. In the cholesterol-free diet, LD3 feeding as compared to casein feeding caused a reduction in triglyceride secretion from the liver to perfusate and an increment of hepatic ketone body production. The addition of cholesterol to the diets somewhat attenuated these effects of LD3. These results suggest that the low-molecular fraction in soybean peptides causes triglyceride-lowering activity through a reduction in triglyceride secretion from the liver to the blood circulation and the stimulation of fatty acid oxidation in the liver. There is a possibility that soybean peptides modulate triglyceride metabolism by changes in the hepatic contribution.     

Fermentation of soybean meal withAspergillus usamii improves zinc availability in rats

Soybean meal was fermented withAspergillus usamii to improve zinc availability through the degradation of phytic acid. Rats fed a diet containing fermented soybean meal showed greater femoral zinc than did animals fed a diet containing regular soybean meal. Zinc solubility in the small intestine was higher in the rats fed fermented soybean meal than in the rats fed regular soybean meal. These results suggested that fermentation withAspergillus usamii improved zinc availability in dietary soybean meal, which was induced by the increase of zinc solubility in the small intestine. Adding the same amount of phytate that was contained in the regular soybean mealbased diet did not affect the amount of zinc present in rats fed a fermented soybean meal-based diet with sodium phytate. Phytase activity was found in fermented soybean meal, and this activity may degrade added phytate in fermented soybean meal-based diet.     

Effect of germinated and heated soybean meals on plasma cholesterol and triglycerides in rats

Soybean may be useful in diets for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and the treatment of type II hyperlipoproteinemia as it lowers blood cholesterol levels. However, unpleasant organoleptic qualities and the presence of antinutritional substances hinder its use. Some of these problems may be partially solved by germinating the seeds or heating the meals. The effects of the duration of soybean germination and of heating the meal were studied in Wistar rats. Dietary meal composition, plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels were evaluated after feeding rats with various soybean meal or casein diets containing 10% protein for 6 weeks. Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels were 0.81 +/- 0.11 and 0.82 +/- 0.23 g/l respectively after the casein diet and 0.90 +/- 0.10 and 0.51 +/- 0.17 g/l after the raw soybean diet. Soybean germination had a hypercholesterolemic effect (1.05 +/- 0.11 g/l after 5 d). Heating the raw meal or germinated soybean meal did not affect cholesterol levels, though it suppressed the hypotriglyceridemic effect. The triglyceride-lowering effect of soybean was probably caused by the presence of thermolabile substances or by the quantity of food ingested. The unexpected increase in blood cholesterol levels may have been due to the effect of the low dietary protein levels.     

Effects of sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate in the diet on the performance of calves

Sixty male Friesian calves were weaned from milk at 5 weeks of age. From 3 to 11 weeks of age, the calves were offered a diet of barley, meat meal, urea and 15% oat straw, supplemented with sodium chloride (NaCl) or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃). The sodium (Na) contents of the diets supplemented with NaCl were 0.3, 1.1, 1.9 and 2.8%. The sodium contents of the diets supplemented with NaHCO₃ were 1.1 and 1.9%.The performance of the calves fed on the diets containing 0.3, 1.1 and 1.9% Na from NaCl was similar, but the organic matter intake and weight gains of the calves fed on the diet containing 2.8% Na were significantly lower between 5 and 11 weeks of age. The feed intake of the calves fed on the diets containing 1.1 and 1.9% Na from NaHCO₃ was 8 and 15% greater than the feed intake of the calves fed on the diet containing 0.3% Na. However, there was no significant difference in the intake of organic matter, the efficiency of feed conversion ratios or the weight gains of the calves.The sodium treatments resulted in no significant differences in the concentration of volatile fatty acids in the rumen. The addition of NaHCO₃ to the diets altered in acid—base balance in jugular blood.     

Effects of dietary soybean meal on growth,nutritive efficiency and body composition of cultured tench (Tinca tinca)

The suitability of defatted soybean meal as a substitute for fishmeal was assessed in juvenile (25 g, average) tench, Tinca tinca, by feeding them diets containing 25 (S25), 37.5 (S37.5) and 50% (S50) soybean meal for 150 days. Soybean meal inclusion increased the relationship between essential and non‐essential amino acids. Fish were hand‐fed to apparent satiation; the feed intake ratio was not dependent upon the dietary soybean level. Survival was over 95% and unaffected by treatment. Growth was reduced at higher soybean meal levels. After 150 days, average weight for the fish fed soybean diets S25, S37.5 and S50 was 65.6, 59.2 and 51 g, respectively. Growth performance was evaluated on the basis of specific growth rate (SGR), final biomass, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feed intake (FI). Maximum SGR (0.61–0.64) and final biomass (3022–3156 g) were recorded in tench fed diets containing 25 and 37.5% soybean meal. Nutritional parameters such as feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not affected by the soybean meal. Body composition was similar for tench fed the three different diets.     

Effect of dietary protein on cholesterol homeostasis in diabetic rats

Normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats were studied in order to examine the effects of altering the type of dietary protein on cholesterol homeostasis. Rats were fed a non-purified or a purified diet containing either casein or soybean protein. The results obtained on the specific aspects of lipid metabolism were remarkably similar in control rats fed the non-purified (Purina Lab Chow) diet or the purified diet with the soybean protein. However, most of the findings obtained with the above two groups were different from those obtained with rats fed the purified diet containing casein. In the latter group, plasma cholesterol was elevated following a 15-day feeding period as compared to the other two dietary groups. The excess plasma cholesterol in the casein-fed group was found in two lipoprotein fractions with densities of 1.023-1.045 g/ml and 1.045-1.086 g/ml, respectively. The latter lipoprotein fraction was also enriched with apolipoprotein E. The casein-fed animals also showed a lower fractional rate of plasma cholesterol esterification and an abnormal accumulation of cholesterol in the body despite inhibition of cholesterol synthesis in the liver and in the intestines. Twelve to 15 days after the induction of diabetes, plasma cholesterol increased to a similar extent in the rats on all three diets. However, the distribution of cholesterol among the lipoprotein fractions was markedly different. The percentage of cholesterol in fractions of d less than 1.086 g/ml was increased while that carried in the fraction of d 1.086-1.161 g/ml decreased in the rats fed the nonpurified diet and the casein diet. In contrast, there was no change in the distribution of lipoprotein cholesterol between the diabetic and the control rats fed the soybean protein diet. The hepatic synthesis of cholesterol was unaltered in diabetic rats fed the nonpurified diet and the purified diet with soybean protein, but was increased 2.4-fold in diabetic rats fed casein. Intestinal cholesterol synthesis was increased in all three dietary groups. The increase was highest in the rats fed casein and lowest in rats fed soybean protein. The rate of sterol synthesis in the kidneys was not significantly affected by the diet or diabetes. In all three dietary groups diabetes led to an abnormal accumulation of cholesterol in the body. This accumulation was highest in the casein-fed rats and lowest in those fed the soybean protein diet. The cholesterol content of the kidneys was markedly increased by dietary casein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)