Effect of different high-fat diets on the myocardium stereology and blood pressure in rats

The effect of three high-fat diets containing 29% canola oil (Ch), lard plus egg yolk (LE) or canola oil, lard and egg yolk (CA+LE) in male Wistar rats was investigated over a period of 6 months. We analyzed the myocardium, composed of cardiomyocytes and interstitium, which is made up of connective tissue and blood vessels. Volume density of cardiomyocyte (Vv[m]), volume density of blood vessels (Vv[vl), and volume density of connective tissue (Vv[ctl) were the stereological parameters determined. The rats of the LE group had a significantly higher heart mass/body mass ratio than those of the CA group. The blood pressure of the LE group was significantly higher than that of the other groups. In the CA group, the Vv[m] was significantly higher and the Vv[ct] was significantly lower than in the other groups. The myocardium of both the LE and CA+LE groups showed a significant reduction of Vv[m] and a compensatory increase of the Vv[ct]. These findings were less pronounced in the CA+LE group, in which the Vv[v] was found to be significantly higher than in the CA group. Comparing these three high-fat diets, the data suggest that the diet with canola oil had a major beneficial effect, preserving the myocardial structure and the blood pressure in rats.