EFFECT OF CHOLESTEROL FEEDING ON PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE RABBIT ARTERIAL-WALL

The site of increased collagen synthetic activity in aortas from rabbits fed a 2% cholesterol diet was investigated. After 70 days control and experimental animals were killed and the intima-media was carefully separated from the adventitia. Collagen and non-collagen protein synthetic rates were estimated following in vitro incorporation of [14C]proline. All of the cholesterol fed rabbits had lesions in the intima-media layer with little or no involvement of the adventitia. The intima-media demonstrated a greater increase in collagen and non-collagen protein synthetic activity than that observed in the media-adventitia. Since the greatest accumulation of cholesterol and cholesterol-esters occurred in the intima-media, the data suggests that the observed alteration in collagen and non-collagen protein synthesis represents a localized response to cholesterol deposition, rather than a generalized response occurring throughout the arterial wall. © 1979.