Magnesium deficiency affects plasma lipoprotein composition in rats.

Weanling rats were pair-fed for 8 d with control and Mg-deficient diets containing 960 and 30 mg of Mg/kg, respectively. The marked reduction in plasma Mg levels indicated that the rats fed the Mg-deficient diet were indeed deficient. In the Mg-deficient rats the percent composition of triglycerides in VLDL, LDL and HDL was elevated and that of protein was reduced. Although the proportion of cholesterol was reduced in LDL and HDL, that of phospholipid was decreased only in HDL. Magnesium deficiency induced a decrease in the percent composition of apolipoprotein (apo) E and a relative increase in the apo C for VLDL. In HDL from Mg-deficient rats, the proportion of apo AI was higher than normal, apo AIV was lower than normal and apo E was virtually absent. The percent composition of oleic and linoleic acids was increased but that of stearic and arachidonic acids was depressed in both VLDL and HDL derived from Mg-deficient rats compared with pair-fed controls. Whether these alterations in lipoprotein profile contribute to hyperlipoproteinemia or are the results of the metabolic changes that produce hyperlipoproteinemia remain to be determined.