Elsevier

Atherosclerosis

Volume 96, Issue 1, September 1992, Pages 43-52
Atherosclerosis

Research paper
Inheritability of atherosclerosis and the role of lipoproteins as risk factors in the development of atherosclerosis in WHHL rabbits: Risk factors related to coronary atherosclerosis are different from those related to aortic atherosclerosis

https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9150(92)90036-GGet rights and content

Abstract

Inheritability of atherosclerosis and the influences of serum lipids on atherosclerosis were examined by following its progression in selectively bred WHHL rabbits. Our studies indicate (1) coronary atherosclerosis is clearly inherited from parents by offspring whereas inheritability of aortic atherosclerosis is uncertain; (2) coronary stenosis is positively correlated to serum cholesterol level, although the correlation coefficient is markedly low: in contrast, no relationship between serum lipid levels and aortic atherosclerosis was observed; (3) cholesterol-rich VLDL showed atherogenicity in aorta, but not in coronary arteries; (4) an unknown lipoprotein detected by 3.6% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was related to coronary atherosclerosis, although no relationship between the unknown lipoprotein and aortic atherosclerosis was observed. These findings suggest that there are two types of genetic factors involved in atherosclerosis, one of which is unique to coronary atherosclerosis whereas the other is related to only aortic atherosclerosis.

References (24)

  • A. Keys

    Coronary heart disease in seven countries

    Circulation

    (1970)
  • Lipid Research Clinics Program

    The lipid research clinics coronary primary prevention trial results, I. Reduction in incidence of coronary heart disease

    J. Am. Med. Assoc.

    (1984)
  • Cited by (76)

    • Spontaneous severe hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis lesions in rabbits with deficiency of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) on exon 7

      2018, EBioMedicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      For histological analysis, serial paraffin sections of aortic atherosclerosis lesions were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE), Masson Trichrome (MT) and immunohistochemically stained with monoclonal antibodies against either macrophages (Mφ) (clone: RAM11, Dako, Carpinteria, CA, US) or α-smooth muscle actin for smooth muscle cells (SMC) (clone: HHF35, Dako, Carpinteria, CA, US). According to the method reported elsewhere [45,46], the immersion-fixed hearts treated with formalin were cut into 6 blocks and embedded in paraffin. The left coronary artery was cross-sectioned (5 μm per slice), and sections were stained with H&E staining.

    • Contribution of the WHHL rabbit, an animal model of familial hypercholesterolemia, to elucidation of the anti-atherosclerotic effects of statins

      2013, Atherosclerosis
      Citation Excerpt :

      To study cardiovascular disease in more detail, Dr. Watanabe started to develop a new line of WHHL rabbits, which had coronary lesions [2]. After two cycles of selective breeding, the incidence and degree of coronary plaques increased [2,12,13]. WHHL rabbits were then improved by the third selective breeding; leading to myocardial infarction-prone WHHL (WHHLMI) rabbits, which have inflamed thin-capped fibroatheroma in the coronary arteries (unstable coronary plaques), related to myocardial infarction [2,14].

    • Experimental models of atherosclerosis

      2013, Revista Espanola de Cardiologia Suplementos
    • Animal models of atherosclerosis

      2012, Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science
    • Macrophage foam cell formation is augmented in serum from patients with diabetic angiopathy

      2010, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
      Citation Excerpt :

      The WHHLMI rabbit was developed from WHHL rabbits [9], which have a mutated LDL receptor and hypercholesterolemia, such that atherosclerosis develops rapidly [10,11]. The incidence of myocardial infarction in WHHL rabbits was low, while WHHLMI rabbits developed coronary occlusion and spontaneous myocardial infarction reportedly due to having higher amounts of apolipoprotein E-rich VLDL [12–14]. We investigated whether serum activities in diabetic patients inducing the differentiation of J774.1 cells into foam cells, differ according to patient features including metabolic control, development of angiopathic complications, drug treatments, and so on.

    • The Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbit, its characteristics and history of development: A tribute to the late Dr. Yoshio Watanabe

      2009, Atherosclerosis
      Citation Excerpt :

      His successor attempted to achieve this final goal, the development of myocardial infarction. After a second round of selective breeding, WHHL rabbits with severe coronary atherosclerosis were obtained [48]. However, the incidence of ischemic myocardial lesions was still very low.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text