Development of an animal model of selective coronary atherosclerosis

Background Atherosclerosis causes over 40% of all deaths in the USA and Wes tern Europe. Although several hypotheses have been proposed, the etiology a nd pathogenesis of the atherosclerosis remain unknown. Objective To develop a model of selective coronary atherosclerosis in pigs. Design An animal model of selective coronary atherosclerosis was developed by combining a guide-wire-induced endothelial injury and cholesterol-enrich ed diet. Methods Twelve pigs were subjected to guide-wire-induced injury to endothel ium of left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, Six animals (control group) were fed a standard pig food; the remaining six animals (cholestero l group) were fed a 6%-cholesterol-enriched diet. Three animals from the co ntrol group were killed immediately after the endothelial injury (acute con trol group). The other three animals in the control group (chronic control group) and all animals in the cholesterol-fed group were killed 4 weeks aft er the injury. Results The endothelial surface and the media of the left circumflex corona ry artery LCX in all animals were intact. Long eccentric areas of endotheli al injury were found in the LAD coronary arteries of animals in the acute c ontrol group. Numerous fibrous atherosclerotic plaques in LAD coronary arte ries were found in animals in the chronic control group as well as in anima ls in the cholesterol-fed group, but were highly pronounced in animals in t he last group. No accumulation of lipids was found in the plaques of animal s in both groups. Conclusions Administration of a 6%-cholesterol diet for 6 weeks is not suff icient to cause coronary atherosclerosis in pigs. Selective coronary athero sclerosis can be induced within 4 weeks with the same diet when the blood v essel has been injured with a guide wire. Coronary Artery Dis 11 :145-149 ( C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.