Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) can inhibit experimental atherosclerosis in animals. Although the agent is an antioxidant, the exact mechanism of the reaction in atherosclerosis is still unknown. To investigate the effects of BHT on expression of P-selectin (PADGEM, GMP-140), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and class II MHC (Ia) antigen, we proposed an experiment on rats. Male rats (n=18 per group) were fed either a normal cholesterol control diet, a normal cholesterol diet containing 0.5% BHT (BD), a high cholesterol diet containing 1.5% cholesterol and 0.1% sodium cholate (CD), or the CD diet containing 0.5% BHT (BCD). Rats were sacrificed after 3 days, and after 1, 2, 4, 10, and 17 weeks of dietary treatment. Although there was no gross or light microscopic atherosclerotic lesions, scanning electron microscopy revealed monocytic adhesion to aortic endothelium and mild endothelial injuries in CD and BCD groups. Immunohistochemically, the addition of BHT to a high cholesterol diet inhibited P-selectin expression but not in ICAM-1 and Ia antigen. These findings suggest that in rats, high cholesterol diets induce expression of ICAM-1, P-selectin and Ia antigen. In addition, the antiatherogenic effect of BHT may play a role in the inhibition of P-selectin.
Animal ; Antioxidants/pharmacology ; Antioxidants/metabolism* ; Aorta, Abdominal/ultrastructure ; Aorta, Abdominal/pathology ; Aorta, Thoracic/ultrastructure ; Aorta, Thoracic/pathology ; Butylated Hydroxytoluene/pharmacology ; Butylated Hydroxytoluene/metabolism* ; Cholesterol/metabolism ; Cholesterol, Dietary/metabolism* ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; P-Selectin/biosynthesis* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the method of preparing porcine thoracic aortas acellular tissue matrix (ACTM) by trypsin, EDTA and Triton X-100 and to find the best concentration of X-100.

METHODSA total of 56 roots of fresh thoracic aortas (without adventitial tissue) from 80 kg-100 kg tame pigs were divided randomly into > groups, each containing 8 roots. Every vessel was put into a 50 ml centrifugal tube with a solution of 0.1% trypsin + 0.02EDTA in PBS for 24 h. After that, each group was separately immerged into a solution of 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 5.0%, 10.0% Triton X-100 for 144 h-240 h. Specimens were taken every 6 h. Specimens were stained with haematoxylin-eosin and observed grossly under the light and transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSLight and transmission electron microscopy revealed that ACTM was composed of insoluble collagen, elastin, and some insoluble metamorphic organelles. The best concentration of Triton X-100 was 1% at the time of 176.25 h +/- 5.5 h.

CONCLUSIONSPorcine thoracic aortas ACTM can be obtained successfully through this procedure. Triton X-100 is a good reagent for preparing vessel ACTM.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; cytology ; surgery ; ultrastructure ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Octoxynol ; pharmacology ; Swine ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

BACKGROUNDTelocytes (TCs) are a novel type of interstitial cells, which have been recently described in a large variety of cavitary and noncavitary organs. TCs have small cell bodies, and remarkably thin, long, and moniliform prolongations called telopodes (Tps). Until now, TCs have been found in various loose connective tissues surrounding the arterioles, venules, and capillaries, but as a histological cellular component, whether TCs exist in large arteries remains unexplored.

METHODSTCs were identified by transmission electron microscope in the aortic arch of male C57BL/6 mice.

RESULTSTCs in aortic arch had small cell bodies (length: 6.06-13.02 μm; width: 1.05-4.25 μm) with characteristics of specific long (7.74-39.05 μm), thin, and moniliform Tps; TCs distributed in the whole connective tissue layer of tunica adventitia: TCs in the innermost layer of tunica adventitia, located at the juncture between media and adventitia, with their long axes oriented parallel to the outer elastic membrane; and TCs in outer layers of tunica adventitia, were embedded among transverse and longitudinal oriented collagen fibers, forming a highly complex three-dimensional meshwork. Moreover, desmosomes were observed, serving as pathways connecting neighboring Tps. In addition, vesicles shed from the surface of TCs into the extracellular matrix, participating in some biological processes.

CONCLUSIONSTCs in aorta arch are a newly recognized complement distinct from other interstitial cells in large arteries, such as fibroblasts. And further biologically functional correlations need to be elucidated.

Adventitia ; cytology ; Animals ; Aorta ; cytology ; Aorta, Thoracic ; cytology ; Cell Communication ; physiology ; Connective Tissue Cells ; cytology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission

The purpose of our study was to create a novel rat aorta stent implantation model. Stainless steel bare metal stents (BMS) or paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) were implanted in male Sprague-Dawley rats (BW 400 +/- 20 g). Two and four weeks after stent implantation, the aorta were collected, fixed with 2% glutaraldehyde, and cut into two segments. One segment was used for scanning electron microscopy analysis to evaluate re-endothelialization, and the other segment was used to calculate the neointimal area. At 2 weeks after stenting, the appearance of neointimal hyperplasia was less in the PES group than in the BMS group. At 4 weeks after stenting, no significant difference in neointimal hyperplasia was observed between two groups. On the other hand, the PES group showed more thrombus formation and less re-endothelialization compared to the BMS group. This study demonstrated the ability of a novel rat model of aorta stenting via a common carotid artery to measure the efficacy and safety of commercially available drug-eluting stents.
Angioplasty/*methods ; Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic/*surgery/ultrastructure ; Coronary Artery Disease/*surgery ; *Drug-Eluting Stents ; Histocytochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Models, Animal ; Neointima/pathology ; Paclitaxel/*administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIMTo observe the effect of phenolic alkaloids of Menispermum dauricum (PAMD) on thrombosis and platelet aggregation, and to explore its mechanism of action.

METHODSThrombosis was observed with arteriovenous shunt thrombus model in rat; platelet aggregation was determined by Born's method; ultrastructure of platelet was observed by transmission electron microscope; TXB2 or 6-keto-PGF1alpha levels were assessed by radioimmunoassay; and NO was determined by colorimetric method.

RESULTSPAMD dose-dependently inhibited experimental thrombus formation, platelet aggregation induced by ADP, AA and THR in vivo and ultrastructure changes stimulated by THR; PAMD increased the generation of 6-keto-PGF1alpha in thoracic aortae and NO level in plasma; and had no influence on TXB2 release (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPAMD inhibited thrombosis and platelet aggregation, and its mechanism might be due to the increase of PGI2 and NO level.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha ; metabolism ; Alkaloids ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; metabolism ; Benzylisoquinolines ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Blood Platelets ; ultrastructure ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Epoprostenol ; metabolism ; Male ; Menispermum ; chemistry ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Rabbits ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Tetrahydroisoquinolines ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Thrombosis ; metabolism ; Thromboxane B2 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the protecting effect of polygoni multiflori total glycosides (PMTG) on the atherosclerotic lesion formation and the expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 in aolipoprotein (apo) E-deficient transgenic mice.

METHODThirty-two female apoE-deficienct mice were randomized into four groups: PMTG high dose group (150 mg x kg x d), low dose group (25 mg x kg x d), atorvastatin positive control group (5 mg x kg x d), and model group. At the end of the tenth week, all mice were killed. The serum levels of Total cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured by enzyme dynamics method. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to observe the morphologic changes of aortic endothelia cell. The expressions of NF-kappaB were studied by SABC immunohistochemistry.

RESULTAs compared with the model control group. (1) PMTG could reduce the levels of serum TC, TG significantly (P < 0.01), and LDL-C level significantly (P < 0.01). (2) It could increase the levels of serum NO and the anti-oxidation capacities significantly (P < 0.01), but reduce the levels of serum MDA significantly (P < 0.01). (3) PMTG could keep the normal morphology of aortic endothelial cell. (4) PMTG could deregulated the expression of NF-kappaB in aortic wall.

CONCLUSIONPMTG could inhibit the occurrence and development of atherosclerotic lesions by its anti-oxidation abilities, which reduce LDL-C level. The low LDL-C level could deregulated the of expression of NF-kappaB, which could deregulated ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in AopE-/-mice in aortic wall through.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Apolipoproteins E ; deficiency ; genetics ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Glycosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polygonum ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis