The effect of moderate alcohol consumption as either red or white wine in the C57BL/6 mouse atherosclerosis model

Background Epidemiological studies suggest that the moderate consumption of alcohol, especially red wine. protects against atherosclerosis. This hypot hesis was tested using the C57BL/6 mouse atherosclerosis model. Design Sixty mice were fed an atherogenic diet for 15 weeks. Two groups of 20 mice received drinking water containing 3.1% alcohol, either red or whit e wine, while the control group received plain water. At the conclusion of the experiment, serum lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were measured and the formation of fatty streaks in the aortic sinus was quantified. Results When mice receiving red wine were compared with mice receiving whit e wine, no significant differences in serum lipoprotein profile or fatty st reak formation were observed. Surprisingly, when data from mice receiving e ither red or white wine were combined, mice receiving alcohol developed a l ower mean serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration [2.34 +/ - 0.44 mmol/l (mean +/- SD)] and an increased mean area of aortic fatty str eaks (0.46 +/- 0.22 mm(2)) than controls (2.70 +/- 0.59 mmol/l and 0.31 +/- 0.11 mm(2)). Conclusions These results do not support the hypothesis that red wine provi des more protection against atherosclerosis than white wine, The mechanisms by which the moderate intake of alcohol increased fatty streak formation i n C57BL/6 mice require further investigation. Coronary Artery Dis 10:97-102 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.