Anti-inflammatory drugs in experimental atherosclerosis. Part 5. Influence of cortisone acetate on short-term and long-term cholesterol fluxes in atherosclerotic aorta.
Previous studies in this series have shown that cortisone and other anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit atherosclerotic plaque development in cholesterol-fed rabbits. The present study was designed to investigate the influence of cortisone on the processes of cholesterol influx and efflux in the aorta wall. Forty-seven New Zealand white rabbits were fed a 1% cholesterol diet for periods up to 12 weeks. In addition 23 of the animals were fed 5 mg cortisone acetate daily. At 0, 5 and 12 weeks, groups were fed a tracer dose of [3H]cholesterol. Plasma cholesterol specific radioactivity was measured at intervals during the next 10 days. Total aorta cholesterol and its specific activity were measured by killing groups of animals at 2 days and 10 days. Atherosclerotic plaque intensity at 12 weeks, measured planimetrically, averaged 68 +/- 12% in controls vs. only 6 +/- 3% in cortisone-treated animals. During the period between 5 and 12 weeks, net cholesterol accumulation by chemical analysis averaged only 11 micrograms/g aorta/day in cortisone-treated animals vs. 117 micrograms/g in controls. [3H]cholesterol influx (measured during a brief 2-day exposure) at 5 weeks averaged 206 and 199 micrograms/g tissue/day and at 12 weeks 586 micrograms and 281 micrograms/day in control and cortisone-treated animals, respectively. Measured over a longer 10-day period, however, the apparent influx of [3H]cholesterol was much less in cortisone-treated animals, averaging only 53 micrograms/day compared to 269 micrograms/day in controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000378:metabolism; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003348:Cortisone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D014316:Tritium
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D014316:Tritium; D002784:Cholesterol; D003348:Cortisone