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Effect of Castration and hormonal supplementation on cholesterol cholelithiasis in the male hamster

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Lipids

Abstract

This study examined the effect of castration and dietary hormonal supplementation on cholesterol cholelithiasis in male hamsters. Animals fed a standard lithogenic diet developed cholesterol gallstones (17%) after 6 wk, while castrated hamsters did not form any stones. Addition of a synthetic androgen, methyltestosterone, to the lithogenic diet induced cholelithiasis in castrated animals (50%). The biles of normal and castrated-hormone supplemented hamsters had cholesterol saturation indices of 1.0 and 1.1, respectively, while the bile of the castrated animals remained unsaturated (0.6). The ratio of cholic acid/chenodeoxycholic acid in bile increased after castration, but returned to normal levels following hormonal supplementation. Biliary cholesterol carriers were separated by ultracentrifugation. Animals in the stone-forming groups (normal and castrated-hormone treated) had a significant proportion of their biliary cholesterol in vesicles (44 and 46%, respectively); castrated hamsters had less cholesterol in vesicle form (9%). The molar ratio of cholesterol/phospholipid in vesicles was reduced after castration (0.93 vs. 0.42) and increased by hormonal supplementation (1.89). In conclusion, when compared to normal male hamsters fed a standard lithogenic diet, castration reduced the cholesterol saturation of bile, lowered the vesicular/micellar ratio in bile, and inhibited cholesterol cholelithiasis. Dietary androgen supplementation increased the lithogenicity of bile, resulting in stone formation in castrated animals.

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Abbreviations

CA:

cholic acid

CDCA:

chenodeoxycholic acid

CSI:

cholesterol saturation index

DCA:

deoxycholic acid

EE:

ethinylestradiol

LCA:

lithocholic acid

LD:

lithogenic diet

MeT:

methyltestosterone

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Author notes

  1. Akira Ohshima

    Present address: Department of Surgery 1, Kyushu University School of Medicine, Maidashi, 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, 812, Fukuoka, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Surgery, Beth Israel Medical Center, First Avenue at 16th St., 10003, New York, New York

    Akira Ohshima, Bertram I. Cohen, Nariman Ayyad & Erwin H. Mosbach

  2. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Bronx, New York

    Akira Ohshima, Bertram I. Cohen, Nariman Ayyad & Erwin H. Mosbach

Authors
  1. Akira Ohshima
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  2. Bertram I. Cohen
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  3. Nariman Ayyad
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  4. Erwin H. Mosbach
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Ohshima, A., Cohen, B.I., Ayyad, N. et al. Effect of Castration and hormonal supplementation on cholesterol cholelithiasis in the male hamster. Lipids 31, 945–948 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02522687

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02522687

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