Coronary arterial heart disease in hybrid hares fed alternating cholesterol-enriched and normal diets.
At one-week intervals hybrid hares (Lepus europaeus X Lepus timidus) were fed supplemented or nonsupplemented commercial pellets. Supplements were 1% cholesterol (USP-grade) and 6% peanut oil. In addition, the normal nonsupplemented diet was fed for a month when they appeared weak or when serum cholesterol values exceeded 1,000 mg/dl at monthly examinations. At the end of 1 year on such an alternating regimen, the hares appeared well nourished. Atherosclerotic lesions were severe and involved the epicardial and intramyocardial segments of the coronary arteries as well as the thoracic and abdominal aorta. Coronary arterial lesions were characterized by fibromuscular thickening with stainable lipids, necrosis, and calcification. Intramyocardial arterioles were diseased with fibromuscular plaques rich in foam cells. Transmural infarcts of the left ventricle occurred distal to the stenotic arterial lesions. Exact mechanisms are unknown for the development of such functionally significant coronary atherosclerosis. Among the possible pathogenetic factors, however, the alternating schedule seems most important. Such a regimen resulted in fluctuating, mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia and relatively good nutritional state of hybrid hares.
D000818:Animals; D001160:Arterioles / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D002784:Cholesterol