Varying Folate Pattern in Different Strains of Mice Fed Coconut Oil and Sesame Seed Oil Diet

The effect of coconut oil feeding with and without cholesterol on folate metabolism in the two strains of mice, C57BL/6 and AKR have been studied. Liver total folate levels are higher in AKR mice. Coconut oil feeding markedly decreased the ratio of nonmethyl/methyl folates in C57BL/6 strain but not in AKR. Cholesterol supplementation to the coconut oil diet increased the percentage of monoglutamyl folates at the expense of polyglutamyl folates in both strains. Only C57BL/6 strain showed growth retardation on coconut oil feeding. The differences in hepatic folate metabolism between the two strains could possibly have an important role in determining their differences in susceptibility to diet induced atherosclerosis.