The Coronary Artery Running Pattern is One of the Causes of Individual Differences in the Progression of Coronary Atherosclerosis in WHHLMI Rabbits, an Animal Model for Coronary Atherosclerosis.

AIMS

The relationship between the coronary artery running pattern and development of coronary lesions was re-examined herein using WHHLMI rabbits, an animal model of spontaneous coronary atherosclerosis.

METHODS

The coronary artery running pattern was analyzed using an X-ray computed tomography (CT) apparatus after perfusion. Pathological sections were prepared (Victoria blue-HE staining) at 100 µm intervals from the origin of the left circumflex artery (LCX). The severity of coronary lesions was evaluated based on cross-sectional narrowing (lesion area/inner area of the internal elastic lamina).

RESULTS

In the CT analysis, the angle of the main curvature of the LCX negatively correlated with the percentage of sections with lesions and cross-sectional narrowing. The percentage of sections with lesions was significantly higher in acute angle-type LCX than in obtuse angle-type LCX. Cross-sectional narrowing was also significantly greater in acute angle-type LCX than in obtuse angle-type LCX. The percentage of fibrous lesions was high at the proximal region of LCX, whereas that of lipid-rich lesions was high at the curvature. In 24 months age group, the percentage of sections with calcification in acute angle-type LCX was about twice that in obtuse angle-type LCX.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual differences were observed in the angle of the main curvature of the LCX, which affected the occurrence and extension of atherosclerotic lesions.