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In order to clarify the mechanism by which liver cholesterol content is elevated during chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) embryonic development, fertilized eggs were administrated pravastatin in ovo, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) inhibitor, at embryonic day 14 (E14). Embryonic growth and hepatic lipid content were determined at embryonic day 18 (E18). Embryonic growth was retarded by pravastatin in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, hepatic total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and phospholipid contents were decreased with increased pravastatin. These results suggest that higher hepatic cholesterol was associated with HMG-CoA reductase activity and embryonic growth was affected by cholesterol synthesis.
Chicken, embryo, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase, pravastatin