ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Platelet P-selectin plays an important role in inflammation and contributes to thrombosis and hemostasis. Fibrinogen may take part in inflammation, thrombosis, and hemostasis via enhancement of platelet P-selectin expression. This study aimed to discover the correlation between them in atherosclerosis model of Sprague Dawley (SD) rat.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Diet-induced atherosclerosis SD rats were adopted as experimental models. The blood from the common abdominal aorta of the rats was obtained to measure the biochemical characteristics and for the check of flow cytometry. Then the aortas were separated carefully, taken out, put into 10% (w/v) neutral formalin for later use. Then fibrinogen and P-selectin expression were detected by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SD rats were induced to atherosclerosis model by high fat diet and vitamin D2 injected. It was discovered that the binding of fibrinogen and the expression of P-selectin on the platelet increase in atherosclerosis model (Group H) than in that in the control group (Group Z), there were closely interrelated. High levels of fibrinogen and P-selectin express on the artery of atherosclerosis rat model.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Fibrinogen and P-selectin are concerned with atherosclerosis. Fibrinogen can interact with P-selectin in order to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, high levels of fibrinogen and P-selectin can be regarded as risk factors for markers of atherosclerosis.</p>