Effects of atherosclerotic plaque on the enlargement of an experimental model of abdominal aortic aneurysm in rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) usually is associated with atherosclerosis. We attempted to create an abdominal aortic aneurysm with atherosclerotic plaque in rabbits to investigate the relationship between atherosclerosis and enlargement of AAA.


METHODS
An isolated segment of rabbit abdominal aorta was perfused with pancreatic elastase. Animals were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet to induce atherosclerotic plaque formation. Eight animals received perfusion with elastase and were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet (group EC), eight animals received perfusion with elastase and were fed a normal diet (group EN), eight animals received perfusion with saline and were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet (group SC), and eight animals received perfusion with saline and were fed a normal diet (group SN). Four animals served as a sham group. Each animal was killed after aortography at 4 or 12 weeks. The perfused segment was excised and examined histologically.


RESULTS
No animal treated with saline and fed normal diet (groups SN) developed either an aneurysm or atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic plaque was observed in animals fed the cholesterol-enriched diet (groups SC and EC) at 4 weeks, and the plaque had thickened further by 12 weeks. All animals treated with elastase (groups EN and EC) developed an AAA. Maximum internal diameter in groups EN and EC (4.1 mm) was equal at 4 weeks, but at 12 weeks, the diameter was less for group EC than for group EN (4.0 mm versus 4.8 mm, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Cholesterol-enriched diet following the intra-luminal perfusion of an isolated aortic segment with elastase produced an AAA with atherosclerotic plaque in rabbits. It is likely that the thickened intima with atheroma suppressed continued enlargement of the aneurysm in this model.
Kobayashi
H
H
Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Matsushita
M
M
Oda
K
K
Nishikimi
N
N
Sakurai
T
T
Komori
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000494:pharmacology; D010477:Perfusion; D011817:Rabbits; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D015415:Biomarkers; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D002784:Cholesterol; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase