Comparative study in rats fed different vegetable oils: I. Aortic stiffness, contractile response, protein and collagen content

The aim of the present investigation was to examine whether functional and/or biochemical properties of the rat aortic wall were modified by a moderately hyperlipidic diet. Aortic stiffness, contractile response, protein and hydroxyproline content were studied in rats fed (for 14 weeks) with diet in which the fat content was derived chiefly (12,5 by weight) from different vegetable oils (soy, fried soy, corn or olive) or from butter. No differences were found between the aortic wall of the rats fed with uncooked vegetable oils and deep-fried oil (soy) as fat component and that of rats fed a standard diet (3,5% fat). On the contrary the presence of butter in the diet seemed to have begun an atherosclerotic process in some animals, as demonstrated by an increase in the stiffness and a reduction in the contractile response of the aortic specimens.