Arterial fatty acid-binding protein activity associated with dietarily-induced and spontaneously occurring atherosclerosis in the rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Abstract

1. 1. Adult WHHL rabbits, or New Zealand rabbits fed either a stock chow diet or a high cholesterol diet were evaluated to assess the relationship between the development of aortic atherosclerosis and arterial FABP activity. 2. 2. Aortic FABP activity was significantly ( P < 0.05) lower in atherosclerotic New Zealand aortas ( 0.039 ± 0.008 nmol palmitoyl CoA bound/mg soluble prot) which had developed macroscopic lesions on 80% of the aortic surface as compared to lesion-free New Zealand aortas ( 0.053 ± 0.002 nmol palmitoyl CoA bound/mg soluble prot). 3. 3. In spontaneously hyperlipidemic rabbit (WHHL) aortas, FABP activity ( 0.023 ± 0.004 nmol palmitoyl CoA bound/mg soluble prot) was significantly lower ( P s ̌ 0.05 ) than in either the normal or atherosclerotic New Zealand aortas. 4. 4. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report a change in arterial FABP with the atherogenic process.