Oxidative modification of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in hypertriglyceridemic rats following magnesium deficiency.

Hypertriglyceridemia observed in magnesium (Mg)-deficient rats was associated with a significant increase in the very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) plus low-density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions. The results from in vitro copper-induced lipid peroxidation, expressed in terms of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content, showed that VLDL + LDL particles from Mg-deficient rats were more susceptible to oxidative damage than lipoproteins from control rats. These results suggest that the mechanism responsible for the atherogenicity and tissue damage characteristic of Mg deficiency may be mediated by an increased susceptibility of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins to peroxidation in hypertriglyceridemic animals.