Biomaterial Database

Effect of dietary ghee--the anhydrous milk fat on lymphocytes in rats. 2001

T G Niranjan, and T P Krishnakantha

Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, India.

Lymphocytes are important components of the immune system. Dietary lipids affect the functioning of the immune system. Changes in the lipid composition of the lymphocyte membrane is a case in point. Membrane structural changes are reflected in the altered function of the cell. Lymphocyte proliferation and lymphocyte rosetting are membrane associated phenomena. Ghee, is a clarified butter product, commonly used in the Indian diet. It is rich in saturated fatty acids and also contain oxysterols which are generated on prolonged heating of ghee. Male weanling rats were fed 2.5% (of the total fat levels) of fresh or thermally oxidized ghee for a period of 8 weeks. The control rats were fed groundnut oil. Lipid composition of lymphocytes in ghee fed rats showed changes. In vitro lipid peroxidation of lymphocyte membranes increased by 26% in oxidized ghee fed rats. Na+K+ ATPase activity was decreased in oxidized ghee fed rats (18%). Lymphocyte proliferation was reduced in ghee fed rats (32%), compared to the controls, irrespective of the mitogens used (Con-A or PHA), or the tissue (splenocytes or peripheral blood lymphocytes). Oxysterols present in oxidized ghee are the likely agents inhibiting lymphoproliferation. Rosetting of lymphocytes decreased in the fresh ghee fed rats by 16% and in oxidized ghee fed rats by 25%. Membrane fluidity declined in the oxidized ghee fed rats. It is concluded that feeding ghee results in decreased proliferation of lymphocytes. Also, feeding oxidised ghee results in decreased proliferation of lymphocytes through alterations in the structure of the lymphocyte membranes in the rat.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008214	Lymphocytes	White blood cells formed in the body's lymphoid tissue. The nucleus is round or ovoid with coarse, irregularly clumped chromatin while the cytoplasm is typically pale blue with azurophilic (if any) granules. Most lymphocytes can be classified as either T or B (with subpopulations of each), or NATURAL KILLER CELLS.	Lymphoid Cells,Cell, Lymphoid,Cells, Lymphoid,Lymphocyte,Lymphoid Cell
D008297	Male		Males
D008892	Milk	The off-white liquid secreted by the mammary glands of humans and other mammals. It contains proteins, sugar, lipids, vitamins, and minerals.	Cow Milk,Cow's Milk,Milk, Cow,Milk, Cow's
D002364	Caseins	A mixture of related phosphoproteins occurring in milk and cheese. The group is characterized as one of the most nutritive milk proteins, containing all of the common amino acids and rich in the essential ones.	alpha-Casein,gamma-Casein,AD beta-Casein,Acetylated, Dephosphorylated beta-Casein,Casein,Casein A,K-Casein,Sodium Caseinate,alpha(S1)-Casein,alpha(S1)-Casein A,alpha(S1)-Casein B,alpha(S1)-Casein C,alpha(S2)-Casein,alpha-Caseins,beta-Casein,beta-Caseins,epsilon-Casein,gamma-Caseins,kappa-Casein,kappa-Caseins,AD beta Casein,Caseinate, Sodium,K Casein,alpha Casein,alpha Caseins,beta Casein,beta Caseins,beta-Casein Acetylated, Dephosphorylated,beta-Casein, AD,epsilon Casein,gamma Casein,gamma Caseins,kappa Casein,kappa Caseins
D002455	Cell Division	The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION.	M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D004041	Dietary Fats	Fats present in food, especially in animal products such as meat, meat products, butter, ghee. They are present in lower amounts in nuts, seeds, and avocados.	Fats, Dietary,Dietary Fat,Fat, Dietary
D000254	Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase	An enzyme that catalyzes the active transport system of sodium and potassium ions across the cell wall. Sodium and potassium ions are closely coupled with membrane ATPase which undergoes phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, thereby providing energy for transport of these ions against concentration gradients.	ATPase, Sodium, Potassium,Adenosinetriphosphatase, Sodium, Potassium,Na(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase,Na(+)-K(+)-Transporting ATPase,Potassium Pump,Sodium Pump,Sodium, Potassium ATPase,Sodium, Potassium Adenosinetriphosphatase,Sodium-Potassium Pump,Adenosine Triphosphatase, Sodium, Potassium,Na(+) K(+)-Transporting ATPase,Sodium, Potassium Adenosine Triphosphatase,ATPase Sodium, Potassium,ATPase, Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging,Adenosinetriphosphatase Sodium, Potassium,Pump, Potassium,Pump, Sodium,Pump, Sodium-Potassium,Sodium Potassium Exchanging ATPase,Sodium Potassium Pump
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013154	Spleen	An encapsulated lymphatic organ through which venous blood filters.