Morphological Studies on the Anti-Atherosclerotic Effects of Elastase

Abstract

Prophylactic as well as therapeutic effects of elastase on the experimentally induced atherosclerosis in the adult rabbit were studied morphologically. Atherosclerosis was induced by the cholesterol feeding. Elastase was given by either per orally or intraperitoneal injection.
The present investigation revealed that elastase possesses the distinct prophylactic effect on the atheroma formation. However, elastase was less effective in removing the atheroma already formed. The prophylactic effect of elastase was more prominent in the case of intraperitoneal injection than in the case of an oral administration. Histological findings suggested the fact that the prophylactic effect caused by daily intraperitoneal injection of 1mg elastase per kg of body weight was equivalent to that of the daily oral administration of 30mg elastase per kg of body weight. In both cases, however, the dose response was observed in the prophylactic effect.
It was also shown that elastase prevented the occurrence of fatty liver by cholesterol feeding.
Probable mechanisms of the anti-atherosclerotic effects of elastase were discussed.