Establishment of a rabbit model of carotid atherosclerotic stenosis and expression of nuclear factor-KappaB, insulin-like growth factor 1

Objective: To establish the methods and factors affecting the development of an economical, practical, stable and reliable animal model suitable for experimental studies of surgical treatments of carotid atherosclerotic stenosis (CASS) and study the characteristics of nuclear factor-KappaB (NF-κB) and its gene insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) expression in forming and developing of CASS. Methods: All 40 Japanese white rabbits were used. The lesions were created by air-drying isolated segments of carotid arteries (160 ml/min × 15 min) and high-fat feeding rabbits with 2% cholesterol, 6% peanut oil for different time (30, 60, 90 days). Blood fat, the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and hematoxylin and eosin stain (HE) were used to evaluate the stenosis of carotid arteries. The HE was used and the pathological changes were examined microscopically. The immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of NF-κB and IGF-1 was performed to evaluate the expressive characteristics of NF-κB and IGF-1 in CASS rabbit carotid arteries. Results: The pathological studies suggested that the atherosclerotic lesions became more and more severe as the feeding time went on. After air-drying and high-fat feeding rabbits for 90 days, the average rate of stenosis was 71.53% ± 3.65% (q = 568.417, P = 0.000) and the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis was atheromatous plaque period. NF-κB and IGF-1 expression was not clearly found in the intima and media of normal artery. Compared with the normal group, the positive expression areas of NF-κB and IGF-1 was 59.66% ± 12.04% and 54.48% ± 12.92% in model group, significantly bigger than that of normal artery (8.34% ± 2.66%, t = 22.98, P < 0.01; 16.38% ± 8.22%, t = 5.76, P < 0.01). Conclusions: Injured and fed as described by the authors, the animal model of 90 days group is stable and reliable, and it meets the demand of experimental studies of surgical treatments of CASS. The activation of NF-κB and its target gene IGF-1 is closely correlated in the forming and developing of atherosclerosis, which in the carotid artery atherosclerotic plaque rabbit models would play an important role in carotid atherosclerotic plaque. © 2009 by the Chinese Medical Association.