ENDOTHELIAL DENUDATION IN HHL-RABBIT AORTAS

The purpose of this study has been to develop a rabbit model for the a ssessment and follow up of angioplastic techniques which would be comp arable to human arteriosclerosis. Segments of the abdominal aortas of 10 homozygous Heritable Hyperlipidemic rabbits were treated with 2 end othelial denudation procedures and collected at sacrifice after 1 week , 1 month, 2 or 3 months. Nondenuded segments of the 3 month group wer e taken as native controls. All sections were stained with hematoxilin /eosin and Elastica van Gieson. Pronounced intimal thickening with fib rosis, sometimes with atheromatosis developed after 1, 2, and 3 months . After 2 months calcium deposits and after 3 months frayed inner elas tic membranes were found. The control segments revealed a lesser patho genic expression with intact inner elastic membranes. In conclusion, a substantial increase in the pathogenic expression or the development of stenoses could not be obtained by 2 endothelial denudation procedur es at the age of about 5 months.