title: Aspirin attenuates the initiation but not the progression of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet.
abstract: Aspirin has potent antiinflammatory properties and attenuates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein-E-deficient mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. In an attempt to clarify the contradictory results obtained with normal chow, we studied the effect of aspirin for a prolonged period of time. The mice were fed a commercial chow until the experiment began at 8 weeks of age. Blood samples were then obtained and several mice (n=8) were sacrificed. The diet of the remaining 48 animals was supplemented with 200 g/kg palm fat and 1 g/kg cholesterol. They were then randomly divided into 2 groups, one of which received 0.5 mg/day of aspirin. The aspirin had a time-dependent effect. First, the extent of lesion decreased; then the effect was neutral; and, finally, after longer periods of being fed the atherogenic diet and receiving aspirin, the extent of the lesion increased. The transitory effect of aspirin should be elucidated in the absence of high dietary lipids.
authors.affiliation: Center of Biomedical Research, Institute of Health Sciences Research (IRCIS), University Hospital of St. Joan, Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: Mònica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tous
authors.forename: Natàlia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferré
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vilella
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Riu
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camps
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joven
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004041:Dietary Fats; D002784:Cholesterol; D001241:Aspirin