Development of atherosclerotic lesions in cholesterol-loaded rabbits.

To examine both of the target vessels and the optimal time of their endothelial denudation to study vascular restenosis after balloon injury in cholesterol-loaded rabbits, we made 36 atherosclerotic rabbits by feeding a hypercholesterol diet, and histologically examined the onset time and the development of atherosclerosis. Atheromatous changes were observed first after the 5th week in the thoracic aorta from the start of the diet, and then extended to the abdominal aorta, coronary artery with time. The atherosclerotic lesions in the thoracic aorta and the proximal portion of the coronary artery showed high-grade concentric intimal thickening with luminal stenosis. The abdominal aortic lesion mildly progressed. In the renal, carotid and femoral arteries, in contrast, slight atheroscleromatous changes developed during the diet period. These results suggest that the thoracic and abdominal aortas and the coronary artery would be suitable as target vessels to study vascular restenosis after balloon injury, and the endothelial denudation of these vessels should be performed between the 8th and 15th week in this diet protocol for an accurate analysis.