title: Irbesartan attenuates atherosclerosis in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits: noninvasive imaging of inflammation by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) in evaluating the antiatherogenic effects of irbesartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker. Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits were divided into the irbesartan-treated group (75 mg/kg/d; n  =  14) and the control group (n  =  14). After a 9-month treatment, rabbits underwent 18F-FDG PET. Using the aortic lesions, autoradiography and histologic examinations were performed. PET imaging clearly visualized the thoracic lesions of control rabbits and showed a significant decrease in the 18F-FDG uptake level of irbesartan-treated rabbits (78.8% of controls; p < .05). Irbesartan treatment significantly reduced the plaque size (43.1% of controls) and intraplaque macrophage infiltration level (48.1% of controls). The 18F-FDG uptake level in plaques positively correlated with the plaque size (r  =  .65, p < .05) and macrophage infiltration level (r  =  .57, p < .05). Noninvasive imaging by 18F-FDG PET is useful for evaluating the therapeutic effects of irbesartan and reflects inflammation, a key factor involved in the therapeutic effects.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Zhao
authors: Keita
authors: K
authors: Fukao
authors: Songji
authors: S
authors: Zhao
authors: Ayahisa
authors: A
authors: Watanabe
authors: Tadateru
authors: T
authors: Hamada
authors: Kazuaki
authors: K
authors: Yamasaki
authors: Yoichi
authors: Y
authors: Shimizu
authors: Naoki
authors: N
authors: Kubo
authors: Naoyuki
authors: N
authors: Ukon
authors: Toru
authors: T
authors: Nakano
authors: Nagara
authors: N
authors: Tamaki
authors: Yuji
authors: Y
authors: Kuge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001345:Autoradiography; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight; D018450:Disease Progression; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007249:Inflammation; D000077405:Irbesartan; D008297:Male; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011817:Rabbits; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D013777:Tetrazoles; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D000077405:Irbesartan