title: Rapid quantification of aortic lesions in apoE(-/-) mice.
abstract: The quantification of aortic lesions is an important end-point analysis for evaluating atherogenesis in mouse models of atherosclerosis. Morphometric methods involving the staining of aorta with a Sudan lysochrome followed by image analysis of the stained lesion area are commonly used. We have developed a more rapid method involving solubilisation of the stain retained by aortic lesions. In 2 separate studies, 5-week-old male apoE(-/-) and C57BL/6 wild-type (apoE(+/+)) mice were given a high fat (21%), Western-type diet for 13, 15 or 25 weeks. At study termination, the descending thoracic aorta (DA) and/or aortic arch (AA) were stained with Oil Red O (ORO). The incorporated stain was extracted using chloroform/methanol (2:1) solvent and quantified by spectrophotometry at 520 nm. In study 1 (13 weeks), ORO stain in the AA and DA of apoE(-/-) mice was 1.9 and 1.4 times higher than background staining of apoE(+/+) aorta tissue, respectively. At 15 and 25 weeks (study 2), ORO stain in the AA of apoE(-/-) mice was 1.9 and 2.5 times higher than the background, respectively. We conclude that the ORO solubilisation technique applied to AA samples is a very useful and rapid method for atherosclerotic lesion quantification.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Health, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK. j.beattie@abdn.ac.uk
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Beattie
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Duthie
authors.forename: In-Sook
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Kwun
authors.forename: Tae-Youl
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Margaret-Jane
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001391:Azo Compounds; D001835:Body Weight; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D001391:Azo Compounds; C011049:oil red O