Pang A S, Katz A, Minta J O
J Immunol. 1979 Sep;123(3):1117-22.
Hypercholesterolemia was induced in rabbits by feeding Purina Chow supplemented with cholesterol (5 g/kg body weight/day). The serum cholesterol levels of these rabbits increased progressively and after 3 to 5 months were 4 to 9-fold greater than those of the control animals. Decrease in total hemolytic complement was not apparent during the feeding regimen. Morphologic examination of aortae of these hypercholesterolemic rabbits showed typical atherosclerotic intimal plaques. Immunofluorescent microscopy with fluorescein (F)-labeled anti-rabbit C3 showed deposition of C3 in the intimal and inner medial layers as early as 3 months on high cholesterol diet. C3 deposits were also observed in the renal glomeruli and in the walls of coronary arteries. However, fluorescent studies failed to demonstrate the presence of IgG, IgM, and C4 at these sites. Tissues from control animals fed normal diets were negative for immunoglobulins, C3, and C4. These results suggest that the complement system may be implicated in the pathogenesis of cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis in rabbits.
通过给兔子喂食添加胆固醇（5克/千克体重/天）的普瑞纳兔粮诱导其发生高胆固醇血症。这些兔子的血清胆固醇水平逐渐升高，3至5个月后比对照动物高出4至9倍。在喂食期间，总溶血补体没有明显下降。对这些高胆固醇血症兔子的主动脉进行形态学检查，发现了典型的动脉粥样硬化内膜斑块。用异硫氰酸荧光素（F）标记的抗兔C3进行免疫荧光显微镜检查显示，早在高胆固醇饮食3个月时，C3就在内膜和内中层沉积。在肾小球和冠状动脉壁也观察到C3沉积。然而，荧光研究未能证明这些部位存在IgG、IgM和C4。喂食正常饮食的对照动物组织中免疫球蛋白、C3和C4呈阴性。这些结果表明，补体系统可能与兔子胆固醇诱导的动脉粥样硬化发病机制有关。
