Atherosclerosis induced by diabetogenic diet in New Zealand white rabbits / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

To observe the effects of diabetogenic (high fat high sucrose, lacking choleserol) diet on atherogenesis in New Zealand white rabbits. Two groups of New Zealand white rabbits received regular rabbit chow (the normal control), or high fat high sucrose diet for 4 months. The levels of plasma total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, and glucose were investigated, the areas of fatty streak of the aortae were measured after staining with Sodan IV, and the aortic, coronary specimens were observed with light and electron microscopies. The plasma glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol were increased significantly by high fat high sucrose feeding. At the end of 4 months, the early charateristics of atherosclerosis were present in the animals' vascular specimens. Our findings suggest that high fat high sucrose feeding can induce hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia and atherosclerosis in New Zealand white rabbits, and this could be a potential animal model for studying the mechanisms of diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis. This study raised a question What is the mechanism by which high fat high sucrose feeding induces atherosclerosis?. The related hypothesis was given in this article.