title: The relative atherogenicity of VLDL and LDL is dependent on the topographic site.
abstract: To evaluate whether the relative atherogenicity of VLDL and LDL is dependent on the topographic site, atherosclerosis was compared at four topographic sites in homozygous LDL receptor (LDLr)-deficient rabbits fed normal chow and in heterozygous LDLr-deficient rabbits with the same genetic background fed a 0.15% cholesterol diet to match cholesterol levels. VLDL cholesterol was significantly higher and LDL cholesterol significantly lower in LDLr(+/-) diet rabbits compared with LDLr(-/-) rabbits. Intimal area in the ascending thoracic aorta and in the abdominal aorta at the level of the renal arteries was 1.4-fold (P < 0.05) and 1.5-fold (P < 0.05) higher, respectively, in LDLr(-/-) rabbits than in LDLr(+/-) diet rabbits, whereas no significant difference occurred in the descending thoracic aorta and in the abdominal aorta just above the bifurcation. Differences remained statistically significant after adjustment for plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, and sex. Compared with LDLr(+/-) diet rabbits, higher intimal lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and apolipoprotein (apo) B levels were observed in LDLr(-/-) rabbits only at the level of the descending thoracic aorta. Intimal apo E levels in LDLr(-/-) rabbits were significantly lower in sites with a larger intima than in LDLr(+/-) diet rabbits. In conclusion, the relative atherogenicity of VLDL and LDL is dependent on the topographic site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Craeyveld
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Yingmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Leen C J
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Thomassen
authors.forename: Johan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: Joke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lievens
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Snoeys
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Geest
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000378:metabolism; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol