Parenteral lipid emulsion-induced atherosclerosis in the obese Zucker rat and its lean littermate
Saladino, C.F.; Schneider, M.; Jonas, E.A.; Grimes, G.
Artery 19(5): 297-306
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0098-6127 PMID: 1444840 Document Number: 393290
We have shown previously that parenterally-administered lipid emulsions can be utilized to induce early atherosclerosis in the aortas of Sprague-Dawley rats. In order to evaluate the effect of obesity on lipid-induced atherogenesis, we have utilized this same approach in the present study to demonstrate that i.v. infusions of the parenteral lipid emulsions, Lipofundin-S, will induce in the gentically obese Zucker rat and its lean littermate aortic endothelial and myofibroelastic changes indicative of early atherogenesis. Four groups of rats were used: 1) obese controls, 2) obese lipid-infused, 3) lean littermate controls, and 4) lean littermate lipid-infused. Observations were made with light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), using qualitative morphological criteria to evaluate the results. Based on the fact that both untreated control and Lipofundin-S-induced atherosclerosis was more frequent and generally more advanced in the obese animals than in their respective lean counterparts, it appears the the obese Zucker rat is more susceptible to both spontaneous and hyperlipidemia-induced atherosclerosis than its respective lean littermate. Thus, obestity in these animals, as might be the case in humans, could potentiate an atherogeneic process already enhanced by hyperlipidemia.