Evaluation of Atherosclerosis Development by Vascular Duplex Ultrasonography in ApoE-deficient Dogs Fed with a High-fat Diet

doi:10.37015/AUDT.2024.230037

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the development of atherosclerosis in ApoE-deficient dogs fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) using vascular duplex ultrasonography (VDU).

Methods Thirty beagle dogs were enrolled, including 10 wild-type, 16 heterozygous (ApoE^-/+), and four homozygous (ApoE^-/-) mutant dogs. The dogs were categorized into either the normal diet (ND) or HFD group. Plasma lipids levles were tested at baseline and then after feeding the dog a different diet for 6 months. The carotid arteries, abdominal aorta (AO) and iliac arteries were examined using VDU. Artery sections of the ApoE^-/- dogs were analyzed.

Results After HFD, lipids especially triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the wild type and ApoE^-/+ dogs were significantly increased. Both the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery (CCA) and AO in the wild type and ApoE^-/+ dogs significantly increased. In the ApoE^-/+ dogs, the mean percentages increases in CCA-IMT and AO-IMT after HFD were higher than those in the ND dogs. The mean values of CCA-IMT and AO-IMT in the ApoE^-/-dogs increased to 2-2.5 folds after HFD. Histological analysis confirmed that the carotid and iliac arteries had advanced atherosclerotic lesions in the ApoE^-/- dogs.

Conclusions HFD may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis in ApoE-deficient dogs, which is an optimal large-animal model of atherosclerosis.

Key words: Atherosclerosis; ApoE-deficient dogs; Animal model; High-fat diet; Ultrasound

Lingyun Jia, MD, PhD, Yuan Li, PhD, Yang Hua, MD, Yumei Liu, MD, Nan Zhang, MD, Mingjie Gao, MD, Ke Zhang, MD, Jingzhi Li, MD, Benchi Chen, BS, Jidong Mi, MS, Nan Zhao, PhD. Evaluation of Atherosclerosis Development by Vascular Duplex Ultrasonography in ApoE-deficient Dogs Fed with a High-fat Diet. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2024, 8(2): 49-56.

Figures/Tables 4

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Parameters	Wild-types (n = 5)				ApoE^-/+ (n = 10)				ApoE^-/- (n = 2)
Parameters	Baseline	After HFD	t value	P value	Baseline	After HFD	t value	P value	Baseline	After HFD
ALT(IU/L)	33.0±11.8	50.4±22.7	1.842	0.139	35.2±8.76	48.3±12.7	3.666	0.005	42.5±20.5	39.5±13.4
AST (IU/L)	28.8±5.02	51.8±11.9	3.669	0.021	31.2±5.27	107.5±90.3	2.672	0.026	64.5±48.8	48.0±9.90
Triglycerides (mmol/L)	0.54±0.22	0.79±0.26	4.856	0.008	0.34±0.14	0.73±0.16	6.145	<0.001	2.24±2.28	2.76±0.78
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)	4.50±0.77	8.90±2.48	5.411	0.006	4.49±0.74	10.53±2.19	11.257	<0.001	28.94±0.06	38.10±3.59
HDL (mmol/L)	3.39±0.31	4.70±0.66	6.384	0.003	3.51±0.45	4.72±0.36	6.369	<0.001	3.58±0.35	2.94±0.22
LDL (mmol/L)	0.35±0.30	3.31±1.98	3.854	0.018	0.35±0.20	4.84±2.12	7.188	<0.001	20.76±0.35	35.72±12.93
ApoA-1 (g/L)	0.53±0.005	0.65±0.008	46.54	<0.001	0.54±0.007	0.65±0.03	44.900	<0.001	0.55±0.007	0.1±0.07
ApoB (g/L)	0.006±0.005	0.048±0.016	5.715	0.005	0.006±0.005	0.041±0.010	13.024	<0.001	0.015±0.007	0.015±0.021
HsCRP (mg/L)	0.024±0.009	0.01±0.01	1.510	0.206	0.033±0.021	0.006±0.010	3.104	0.013	0.04	0.00