title: Effects of late administration of immunoglobulin on experimental atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although immunoglobulin treatment, beginning simultaneously with the initiation of atherosclerosis, suppresses experimental atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, it remains unclear whether the treatment at a subsequent stage of atherosclerosis would be effective.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Experimental atherosclerosis was induced in mice fed a high-fat diet containing 0.3% cholesterol. After confirming the presence of atherosclerotic lesions at 11 weeks, the mice were treated with an intraperitoneal injection of either intact type of immunoglobulin or F(ab')2 fragments of immunoglobulin (both, 1 g.kg-1.day-1) on alternate days over 4 weeks. Fatty streak lesion was suppressed by intact immunoglobulin administration, but not by F(ab')2 fragments of immunoglobulin. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that macrophage and CD4+ T-cell accumulation in the fatty streak lesion was suppressed in mice that received intact immunoglobulin but not in those that received F(ab')2 fragments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunoglobulin treatment, even at a later stage of atherosclerosis, suppresses the development of lesions associated with the reduced expression of immune-activated cells in fatty streak plaques, demonstrating the benefits of immunoglobulin therapy for prevention of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cadiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: Taka-aki
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Okabe
authors.forename: Chiharu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: Kana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokode
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous