title: Enhanced renal cortical vascularization in experimental hypercholesterolemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experimental hypercholesterolemia is associated with pro-inflammatory changes and impaired regulation of tissue perfusion, which may lead to neovascularization. However, it is yet unknown whether such changes take place in the kidney. In this study, using a novel three-dimensional (3-D) micro computed-tomography technique we tested the hypothesis that hypercholesterolemia was associated with increased microvascular density in the renal cortex.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kidneys were excised from pigs after 12 weeks of either a normal (N = 6) or high cholesterol (HC; N = 5) diet, histology slides processed, and a segmental renal artery injected with a radio-opaque intravascular silicone polymer. Renal samples were scanned with micro computed-tomography, transverse and three-dimensional images were reconstructed, and microvessels (80 to 360 microm in diameter) counted in situ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum cholesterol levels were significantly higher in hypercholesterolemic compared to normal pigs (383 +/- 76 vs. 81 +/- 7 mg/dL, P < 0.01), and microvascular spatial density was significantly higher in their inner and middle renal cortex (189 +/- 7 vs. 126 +/- 6 microvessels/cm2, P < 0.0001). Hypercholesterolemic kidneys also showed mild interstitial mononuclear infiltration and heavier immunostaining of vascular endothelial growth factor, but no other signs of morphological damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that early diet-induced hypercholesterolemia is associated with increased microvascular density in the renal cortex, which precedes signs of overt renal morphological damage. These alterations may potentially affect regulation and/or spatial distribution of intrarenal blood flow in hypercholesterolemia, and may participate in renal disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hypertension, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bentley
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Porcel
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lerman
authors.forename: Mirit Hershman
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sarafov
authors.forename: J Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Laura I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Pelaez
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.forename: Erik L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Ritman
authors.forename: Lilach O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Lerman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D008833:Microcirculation; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology*; D013552:Swine