Martin J F, Booth R F, Moncada S
Wellcome Research Laboratories, Beckenham, Kent, UK.
Eur J Clin Invest. 1990 Dec;20(6):588-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1990.tb01905.x.
Pressure on the outside of arteries can cause physical and biochemical changes in the vessel wall of rabbits which are characteristic of atherosclerosis. It is hypothesized that occlusion of the vasa vasorum causes ischaemia of the arterial media which results in smooth muscle cell proliferation and cellular accumulation of cholesteryl esters. Hypoxia increases mRNA for platelet-derived growth factor in arterial wall cells and increases the activity of acyl CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT). Such a mechanism may explain many of the anatomical, actuarial and environmental risk factors for atherosclerosis. Hyperfusion of the vasa vasorum may follow thrombosis.
