title: Vasa vasorum and plaque progression, and responses to atorvastatin in a rabbit model of atherosclerosis: contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging and intravascular ultrasound study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To serially investigate the relationship between vasa vasorum (VV) proliferation and plaque progression in vivo, and the effects of atorvastatin on VV and atherosclerosis as assessed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carotid atherosclerosis was induced in rabbits with a high-cholesterol diet for 20 weeks and balloon injury. At week 16, following the imaging of the right common carotid arteries by CEUS and IVUS, 20 rabbits were randomised into a control or atorvastatin group (2 mg/kg/day). At week 20, CEUS and IVUS were repeated. Normalised maximal video-intensity enhancement (MVE) was calculated to quantify the density of VV. Plaque volume was determined by IVUS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When compared with the control group, lipid levels were not significantly lower following 4 weeks of atorvastatin administration. The increases in the normalised MVE over time were greater in the control group than in the atorvastatin group (p=0.001). The increase in plaque volume from 16 to 20 weeks was significantly greater in the control group than in the atorvastatin group (p=0.001). There was a positive relationship between changes in normalised MVE and plaque volume (r=0.72, p=0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a positive correlation between VV density and plaque progression. Atorvastatin significantly inhibits the development of adventitial VV and progression of atherosclerosis independent of lowering the cholesterol level.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratories of Myocardial Ischemia, Chinese Ministry of Education, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Jinwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Sining
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Huai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Shaosong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ik-Kyung
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003287:Contrast Media; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008297:Male; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D014651:Vasa Vasorum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin