A new model to evaluate the diet-induced prothrombotic state, using He-Ne laser-induced thrombogenesis in the carotid artery of apolipoprotein E-deficient and low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice

Epidemiological studies suggest the high fat content of the Western diet to be responsible for atherosclerosis and its thrombotic complications. Despite such a prevailing view, few animal experiments have so far succeeded in demonstrating enhanced thrombogenicity due to a high fat diet. Even a high fat and a very high cholesterol (1%) diet has failed to demonstrate an enhanced thrombotic reaction in rodents and rabbits. The aim of the present study was twofold. First, we wanted to establish a new, sensitive and specific in vivo thrombosis model in mice, which can then be used to study the effect of diets. Second, we intended to employ such a thrombosis model in investigations into the effect of high or low fat diets on thrombosis. The technique described uses 'a laser to induce thrombus formation in the exposed carotid artery of apolipoprotein E-deficient and low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice. Thrombus formation was recorded on video, analysed by computer, and the size of thrombus was calculated by image analysis software. Thrombotic status was evaluated by analysing a total of 61 individual images of the thrombotic reaction, which were taken over 600 s. The severity of atherosclerosis was assessed by image analysis of the stained elastic fibers. Two kinds of diets were used. the Western type, high fat diet contained 20% fat (w/w) and 0.05% cholesterol (w/w); the low fat diet contained 7% fat, without cholesterol. These diets were on the basis of AIN93G and were given to mice for 4 or 8 weeks. The high fat diet significantly enhanced both the thrombotic reaction and the development of atherosclerosis as compared with the low fat diet. (C) 2002 Lippincott Williams Wilkins.