1.Assessment of atherosclerosis in ApoE knockout mice feeding with western diet using ultrasound biomicroscopy
Jinjie XIE ; Ya YANG ; Rongjuan LI ; Yanhong WANG ; Zhian LI ; Zheng WANG ; Li SONG ; Xianghong LUO ; Ruijuan SHU ; Yanwen QING
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2012;21(2):156-159
Objective To evaluate the value of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in assessment of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice feeding with western diet.Methods Sixteen ApoE knockout mice in 8 weeks age were selected,then divided into two groups.One group was fed with west diet as high-fat group,and another group was fed with normal diet as control group.Intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque area in the aortic root were assessed by UBM in two groups after 8 weeks and 16 weeks.And the measurements of UBM were compared with results of histopathology and blood-fat.ResultsThicken wall and plaque could be find in aortic root in control group and high-fat diet group byUBM.IMT and plaque area in high-fat diet group was significantly higher than those of control group ( P < 0.05).The IMT and plaque area in UBM were good correlation with histopathology ( rwas 0.81 and 0.70 respectively).The triglyceride(TC) and total cholesterol in high-fat diet group was significantly higher than those of control group ( P <0.05),and IMT in UBM were increased with the elevated level of TC,there was a positive correlation between IMT and TC( r =0.528).ConclusionsWestern diet can accelerate the process in formation of atherosclerotic plaque in ApoE knockout mice.UBM can be used to observe this prograss noninvasively in vivo mice.