[Behavior of the arterial wall of non-selected rats, old and young, subjected to potentially atherogenic dietary factors].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the arterial wall behaviour in old and young rats submitted to a ration containing atherogenic factors (cholesterol, dehydrocolic acid and vitamin D2).


METHODS
20 old male albino rats (approximately one year old) were grouped as follows: group 1, five control animals; group 2, five animals receiving a ration with cholesterol plus dehydrocolic acid; group 3, ten rats receiving an equivalent ration added to vitamin D2. Equivalent groups (4, 5 and 6), with an identical number, but younger animals (2 months old), were compared to the former. Groups 4, 5 and 6 were treated in the same way of groups 1, 2 and 3. After two months, all the groups were bled for cholesterol (CT), triglycerides and HDL dosage. Afterwards, they were sacrificed and the histopathological analysis of the aorta, heart, and lungs executed by the hematoxylin-eosin, Verhoeff and acetic orcein methods.


RESULTS
Serum cholesterol (average) was 52 mg/dl in group 1 and 56.6 in group 4. Groups 3 and 6 presented about two times the serum cholesterol level observed in control groups and groups 2 and 5 three times control groups. When the old and young animals CT averages were compared, no significant differences were observed. However, when the influences of the atherogenic factors were analyzed, significant differences appeared; the simultaneous administration of dehydrocolic acid and cholesterol tripled the value of CT, and the use of vitamin D2, applied with other factors, raised CT only to the double. No atherosclerotic lesions were obtained but only Monckberg atherosclerosis lesions, sclerosis type (calcification of the medium stratum) in those animals who received vitamin D2.


CONCLUSIONS
The arterial wall of non-selected old and young rats behaved equally when submitted to a ration containing cholesterol, dehydrocolic acid and vitamin D2. They developed calcified lesions of atherosclerotic type, in spite of a prolonged hypercholesterolemia.
Magnaghi
A
A
Instituto do Coração do Hospital das Clínicas, FMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootécnica.
Giannini
S D
SD
Sinhorini
I L
IL
Merusse
J L
JL
D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003685:Dehydrocholic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D004872:Ergocalciferols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D004872:Ergocalciferols; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D003685:Dehydrocholic Acid
Comportamento da parede arterial de ratos não selecionados, idosos e jovens, frente a fatores dietéticos potencialmente aterogênicos.