Aggravating Effect of Cholesterol on Cardiovascular Changes in Choline Deficient Rats.

Abstract

Addition of 2% cholesterol greatly enhances the occurrence of cardiovascular lesions in choline deficient rats. These consist of cardiac necrosis, coronary lipoidosis and aortic medial sclerosis. Changes differ in etiology, pathogenesis and biochemistry from the cardiovascular changes produced by atherogenic diets with cholesterol and choline supplements. Apparently, cholesterol is a potent atherogenic and sclerogenic substance under different experimental conditions. Cholesterol and choline may produce atheroma-like lesions under suitable experimental conditions while choline deficiency results in arterial disease of the Moenckeberg type. The aggravating effect of cholesterol on this latter type of arterial change is shown and the possible mechanism of this aggravation is discussed.