Consumption of Water-Soluble Egg Yolk Extract on Growth Rate, Changes in Blood Cholesterol Levels, and Immune Modulation in BALB/c Mice

Egg consumption has been limited to avoid cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia, because the yolk contains high levels of cholesterol. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the water-soluble component of egg-yolk on the growth efficiency, immune modulation, and changes in serum lipid levels in BALB/c mice. A total 5 wk old 120 BALB/c male mice were divided into 4 groups and were fed 0, 2, 10, and 20 mg/d water-soluble egg yolk extract (WSEYE) for 5 wk. Water-soluble egg yolk extract (WSEYE) uptake resulted in a significant reduction in daily weight gain and feed efficiency rate (FER). The mouse groups treated with 2 and 20 mg/d WSEYE showed a significant increase in populations of monocytes at the third wk and B-lymphocyte activity at the fifth wk. In addition, WSEYE uptake did not influence serum immunoglobulin E levels. In serum lipid-profile studies, treatment of WSEYE did not alter total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels; however, blood triglyceride levels were significantly diminished in mice treated with 2 mg/d at the third wk (p