Najah R. Hadi, Bassim I Mohammad, Heider S Qassam, Fadhil G. Al-Amran, and Hussam H Sahib
Running title: Role of aspirin in hypercholesterolemia
Abstract
This study was designed to evaluate the effect of aspirin on the progression of atherosclerosis, twenty eight native domestic rabbits were assigned to four groups: group I (normal control), group II (atherogenic control), group III (vehicle control), group IV (aspirin 10 mg/kg daily). Blood samples were collected at the end of the experiment (8 weeks) for measuring of cholesterol triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, plasma high sensitive cholesterol (hsCRP), plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and plasma reduced glutathione (GSH). Immunohistochemical analysis (VCAM-1, MCP-1, and TNF-α, IL-17A) and histopathologic assessment of aortic atherosclerotic changes were also performed. Compared to NC, levels of lipid profile, atherogenic index, hsCRP, and MDA are increased, whereas GSH were reduced in animals on atherogenic diet (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that aortic expression of VCAM-1, MCP-1, TNF-α and IL-17A were considerably increased in AC group, compared to NC group (P<0.001). Histopathologic finding showed that animals on atherogenic diet have significant atherosclerotic lesion compared to NC group. Compared to AC group, aspirin don’t have significant effects on lipid profile. Aspirin causes statistically significant reduction in hsCRP and MDA (P<0.05). Aspirin treatment cause considerably increased the level of GSH. Aspirin treatment considerably reduced aortic expression of VCAM-1, MCP-1, TNF-α and IL-17A (P<0.05). Histopathologic examination of aortic arch showed that aspirin considerably reduced atherosclerotic lesion (P<0.05). It thus will conclude that aspirin reduces lipid peroxidation, systemic inflammation and aortic expression of inflammatory markers utilized in this study and therefore reduce the progression of cholesterol.
Key words: Atherosclerosis, Aspirin, Oxidative stress, Rabbits
