title: Effect of chronic L-Arginine supplementation on aortic fatty streak formation and serum nitric oxide concentration in normal and high-cholesterol fed rabbits.
abstract: Several reports indicated the beneficial effects of short-term L-Arginine (L-Arg) administration on atherosclerosis processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic L-Arg supplementation on serum lipid profile, aortic Fatty Streak (FS) formation, and serum Nitric oxide (NO) concentration in Normal Diet (ND) and High-Cholesterol Diet (HCD) fed rabbits. 24 male rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (n=6 in each group) (i): ND for seven months; (ii): ND for 1 month plus ND + L-Arg for six months; (iii): HCD (1%) for 1 month plus HCD (0.5%) for six months; (iv): HCD (1%) for 1 month plus HCD (0.5%) + L-Arg for six months. At the end of the study, histological evaluation of aortic FS formation was performed. Blood samples were taken for serum lipid profile and NO concentrations. L-Arg did not change serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and LDL/HDL ratio in normal and hypercholesterolemic rabbits (p>0.05). Histological examination of thoracic aortae revealed that the HCD group had higher FS formation compared to the ND group (2.1 ± 0.16 vs. 0 ± 0; respectively; p<0.05) and L-Arg supplementation did not attenuate FS formation in the HCD group (1.93 ± 0.17 compare to 2.1 ± 0.16; p>0.05). Serum NO level in the HCD group was higher than ND groups (p<0.05). Chronic L-Arg supplementation did not alter serum NO concentration either in the hypercholesterolemic or in the ND group (p>0.05). It seems that chronic L-Arg supplementation does not have beneficial effects on aortic fatty streak formation, serum lipids and NO concentrations in this model of experimental hypercholesterolemia.
authors.affiliation: Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Department of Physiology Isfahan Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khazaei
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Mobarakeh
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Razavi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008055:Lipids; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine