Faculty Collaboration Database

Alpha-tocopherol protects against diet induced atherosclerosis in New Zealand white rabbits. J Lipid Res 2002 Nov;43(11):1927-38

Date

10/29/2002

Pubmed ID

12401892

DOI

10.1194/jlr.m200261-jlr200

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0036847082 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   32 Citations

Abstract

In this study, we asked the question "does alpha-tocopherol supplementation prevent an increase in total plasma cholesterol (TPC) concentration and reduce the deposition of cholesterol in arterial plaques of rabbits fed atherogenic diets?" Isocaloric diets containing 0.1% cholesterol to induce atherosclerosis were enriched in one of three fats: saturated fats (SAT), monounsaturated fats (MONO), or n-6 polyunsaturated fats (POLY). Half of each of the three diets were supplemented with 2,500 IU alpha-tocopherol/kg-diet. Unsupplemented diets contained 25 IU alpha-tocopherol/kg-diet. Rabbits supplemented with alpha-tocopherol had plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations 10-fold higher and an average TPC concentration 31% lower, P = 0.017, than rabbits fed unsupplemented diets. Among the three fat-fed groups, the difference was greatest for the POLY fat fed group (54%, P = 0.041). POLY fat-fed rabbits without alpha-tocopherol supplementation had plasma HDL cholesterol concentrations that were less than half that of rabbits fed other fats, P < or = 0.0001. In general, differences in mean esterified artery cholesterol concentrations among the three fat-fed groups, with and without alpha-tocopherol supplementation, paralleled differences in TPC concentration among the groups. This study suggests that for rabbits fed high pharmacological doses of alpha-tocopherol, atherosclerosis can be diminished in situations where the plasma cholesterol concentrations are also significantly lower.

Author List

Schwenke DC, Rudel LL, Sorci-Thomas MG, Thomas MJ

Authors

Mary Sorci Thomas PhD Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Michael J. Thomas PhD Professor in the Pharmacology and Toxicology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Arteries
Arteriosclerosis
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, HDL
Diet, Atherogenic
Dietary Fats
Dietary Fats, Unsaturated
Disease Models, Animal
Fatty Acids
Rabbits
Triglycerides
alpha-Tocopherol