Expansive remodeling is a response of the plaque-related vessel wall in aortic roots of apoE-deficient mice: an experiment of nature.
OBJECTIVE
In the present study, we (1) evaluated the apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE(-/-)) mouse aortic root as a model for expansive remodeling in atherosclerosis and (2) examined whether remodeling at this site was due to dilation of the vessel wall beneath or flanking the plaque.


RESULTS
Plaque area and length of the internal elastic lamina (IEL) were measured in aortic roots of apoE(-/-) mice at 11 weeks, 6 months, and 13 months of age. Expansive remodeling, indicated by IEL lengthening exceeding that of normal growth in wild-type C57BL/6 mice, was evident at 6 months of age and showed overcompensation (luminal enlargement) by 13 months of age. When the left coronary (LC), right coronary (RC), and noncoronary (NC) sinuses of the aortic root were looked at individually, remodeling was located to the LC at 6 months of age and to the LC and RC at 13 months of age. The remodeling response was closely related to local plaque area but unrelated to plaque formation in flanking sinuses.


CONCLUSIONS
The aortic root of the apoE(-/-) mouse features a consistent remodeling response. In this model, expansive remodeling was a strictly local response of the plaque-related vessel wall.
Bentzon
Jacob F
JF
Department of Cardiology, Skejby University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. jab@studmed.au.dk
Pasterkamp
Gerard
G
Falk
Erling
E
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D001057:Apolipoproteins E