Arteriosclerosis in Swine Animal Model: an Alternative View to Cholesterol Hypothesis of Atherogenesis

Abstract

Examination of the coronary arteries and aortic tissue in swine by electron microscopy has shown that upto 6 months of age, various degree of fibrocellular intimal thickening had occured in those animals on a non-atherogenic diet. A mechanical denudation of the endothelium resulted in marked intimal thickening of the aorta, indicating that the endothelium has the role of protecting against plasma infiltration into the arterial wall. Ultrastructural study of the ductus vasculature disclosed that endogenous lipid synthesis can be accentuated under hypoxic condition. Lipid-rich arterial lesions, which were characterized by the presence of degenerate cells with or without stainable lipid were produced by feeding them either vitamin D or culinary fats without significant amount of cholesterol. These data suggested that other angiotoxic factors as well as hypercholesterolemia could be responsible for the development of atherosclerosis.