Temporal association between arterial cholesterol deposition, thymidine incorporation into DNA, and atherosclerosis in Japanese quail fed an atherogenic diet.

Male Japanese quail (strain SEA) rapidly develop atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta and brachiocephalic arteries when fed an atherogenic diet containing 1.0% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid. The present study was conducted to determine the parameters of the atherosclerotic response. Groups of 20 quail fed the atherogenic diet were killed at 0 days, 1 day, 3 days, or weekly from 1 to 12 weeks. Quail fed the atherogenic diet for 1 day showed a significant increase in serum cholesterol; a plateau was reached by 2 weeks. A significant increase in arterial cholesterol was seen after 2 weeks on the atherogenic diet, and arterial cholesterol showed a linear increase with time from 2 to 12 weeks. Increased incorporation of tritiated thymidine into the DNA of arterial cells was first seen at 2 weeks; thymidine incorporation increased to a maximum value at 9 weeks, then declined to 50-60% of the 9-week value at weeks 11 and 12. Grossly visible atherosclerotic lesions were first seen at 3 weeks, and 90% of birds showed gross atherosclerotic lesions by 8 weeks. Atherosclerosis induced in Japanese quail by feeding cholesterol and cholic acid is characterized initially by lipid deposition in the arterial wall, followed by increased incorporation of tritiated thymidine and the appearance of gross lesions.