Comparison of breast-feeding and formula feeding on intestinal and hepatic cholesterol metabolism in neonatal pigs.

Infant formulas (IFs) contain reduced choles- terol concentrations compared with breast milk (SM); how neonatal cholesterol metabolism responds to this difference is largely unknown. The effect ofexclusive feeding ofSM vs low- cholesterol IF on intestinal and hepatic cholesterol concentra- tions and synthesis during early postnatal development were compared in piglets. Animals were killed at birth or on days 5, 10, 15, or 25 postpartum. Plasma cholesterol concentrations were higher in SM-fed than in IF-fed piglets on days 15 and 25. In intestine both HMG-CoA reductase activity and 3H20 incorporation rates into cholesterol were similar for both groups or reduced in the IF-fed group at days 15 and 25. In liver, HMG-CoA reductase activity was higher in IF-fed than in SM-fed piglets on days 5, 10, and 15. Results indicate that during the early postpartum period, response to lower choles- terol intakes with IF occurs by increasing hepatic sterol synthe- sis whereas intestinal synthesis is largely unaffected. Am J C/in Nuir 1990:�1:979-84.