Abstract:To investigate the effect of D-xylose on lipid metabolism of rats(Rattus norregicus)with hyperlipemia and its related molecular mechanism, high-fat diet was used to feed the Wistar male rats to generate the hyperlipemia model, and normal diet was used to feed the same batch rats as normal control group. Then all the rats with hyperlipemia were divided into four groups, i.e., high dose D-xylose interfering group (1.2 mg D-xylose per gram body weight per day), medium dose D-xylose interfering group (0.6 mg D-xylose per gram body weight per day), low dose D-xylose interfering group (0.3 mg D-xylose per gram body weight per day), and control hyperlipemia group. Intragastric administration of D-xylose was performed in interfering groups, while the normal control group and hyperlipemia control group were administrated with equivalent amount of normal saline. After 6 weeks, all the rats were sacrificed for obtaining testing samples. The body fat content was measured; a portion of liver samples was used for frozen section in order to survey the pathological changes and another portion of liver was homogenized to test the biochemical changes; Western blot was employed to check the HDL-R expression changes; while the blood samples were used to test the biochemical changes. After D-xylose treatment of rats with hyperlipemia, significant difference was observed in the body weight and the ratio of body weight to fat tissue weight between each drug treatment group and hyperlipemia model group (P<0.05).The expression levels of GSH-Px, LPL and HL were significantly different among these groups (P<0.05), but the total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and triacylglycerol in rats treated with D-xylose were not reduced significantly (P>0.05). Pathological features in the group treated with high concentration of D-xylose was evidently eased than in hyperlipemia model group, medium or low dose treatment group: liver cell necrosis was reduced significantly, the hepatic lobule was complete, steatosis and inflammatory infiltration were mild. HDL-R protein expression level showed significant difference between normal control group and hyperlipemia model group, while HDL-R expression in the group treated with a high concentration of D-xylose was closer to the control group. Therefore, after the treatment of D-xylose, liver fatty change and liver necrosis of the rats with hyperlipemia have been alleviated, and the deficiency of HDL-R in liver cells has been improved. All the results indicate that D-xylose plays an important role in improving the damage of hyperlipemia to liver cells and organ function in rats.