RESUMEN
Objective To investigate the effects of rabbit carotid artery cannula on atherosclerosis formation and β-catenin expression.Methods Fifteen 2-month-old New Zealand rabbits weighing(2.0±0.2)kg were randomly divided into three groups,high-fat diet group,left common carotid artery cannula group and left common carotid artery cannula plus high-fat diet group,5 cases in each group,and taking the right blood vessels in the left common carotid artery cannula group served as the control group.The animals were sacrificed after 9-week feeding,and the total rabbit carotid artery in each group was taken;the real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect β-catenin mRNA and protein expression targeting in rabbit common carotid artery tissue.Results The real-time PCR results showed that the β-catenin mRNA expression in the left common carotid artery cannula group was higher than that in the control group,high fat diet group and the left common carotid artery cannula + high-fat diet group.The immunohistochemistry results showed that,except for the control group,various groups had the β-catenin protein location in the cytoplasma,moreover which in the left carotid artery cannula group and left common carotid artery cannula +high-fat diet group mainly located in the area of intimal hyperplasia.Conclusion β-catenin is highly expressed in the atherosclerotic vessel wall caused by rabbit carotid artery cannula.