Experimental hypercholesterolemia induces ultrastructural changes in the elastic laminae of XXXX aortic valve.

@entity95 @entity21182 @entity21341 @entity731 @entity340 @entity165
@entity731 is the most severe problem in the high-pressure systemic circulation and similar changes also occur in the high-pressure loading valve. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that early @entity731 , induced by a high @entity165 diet in @entity95 , is characterized by significant ultrastructural change in the elastic laminae of the aortic valve. However, it is not known whether this process is also taking place in the cardiac valve at the early stage of @entity731 . Animals were fed either a high @entity165 diet (n = 5) or a control diet (n = 5) for 10-12 weeks. Histologic analysis demonstrated that subendothelial thickening and foam-cell infiltration were evident in the arterialis of aortic valves. Confocal microscopy revealed an altered pattern characterized by fragmentation and disorganization of the arterialis elastic laminae of @entity340 . Computerized digital analysis of the images obtained by confocal scanning microscopy demonstrated that compared to normal valves, the arterialis elastic laminae of @entity340 decreased in percentage of their @entity21341 content (29.03 +/- 1.10% vs. 42.94 +/- 1.35%, p = 0.023). Immunohistochemical staining for @entity21182 ( @entity21182 ) revealed @entity21182 immunoreactivity was increased in @entity340 , predominantly in the arterialis. This study demonstrated that early @entity731 , induced by a high @entity165 diet in @entity95 , is characterized by significant ultrastructural change in the elastic laminae of the aortic valve. The arterialis endothelium of the aortic valve may be a more @entity731 -prone area compared with the ventricularis. The presence of ultrastructural defect in the elastic laminae may play a role in chronic @entity340 .
