Iron as an agent of oxidative injury in experimental atherosclerosis

• Published in: Acta veterinaria (Beograd) Vol. 61; no. 5-6; pp. 631 - 641
• Main Authors: Vucevic, Danijela, Radosavljevic, Tatjana, Mladenovic, D., Colic, Jelena, Milovanovic, I., Pesic, B.C., Jesic-Vukicevic, Rada
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: ARTARIOSCLAROSE; ARTERIOSCLEROSIS; CHOLESTAROL; CHOLESTEROL; COLESTEROL; CONEJO (ORYCTOLAGUS); DIET; DIETA; EXPARIMENTATION; EXPERIMENTACIAN; EXPERIMENTATION; FER; HIERRO; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_1584; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_2261; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_2758; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_3950; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_6414; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_8949; IRON; LAPIN (ORYCTOLAGUS); RABBITS; RAGIME ALIMENTAIRE
• ISSN: 0567-8315; 1820-7448
• DOI: 10.2298/AVB1106631V

Having in mind the importance of iron as a catalyst in some oxidative reactions, we examined the iron content in the serum and thoracic aorta tissue of rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis induced by hypercholesterolemic diet (4% solution of crystalline cholesterol in edible oil). For this study three groups of rabbits were used: C - control group fed a standard diet for this species (n=10), O - control group fed on an oil-containing diet (n=10) and Ch - experimental group fed on a hypercholesterolemic diet (n=10). Experimental atherosclerosis was pathohistologically confirmed. Iron content was quantified by atomic absorptive spectrophotometry. After two-months of treatment a highly significant increase of iron content was registred in the serum and thoracic aorta tissue in Group Ch (p is less than 0.01) compared to the control group. In comparison with Group C iron content in the thoracic aorta tissue was significantly (p is less than 0.01) decreased in Group O. A significant increase of iron content was registered in the thoracic aorta tissue iin Group Ch (p is less than 0.01) compared to Group O. Our findings indicate a possible role of iron in the pathogenesis of experimental atherosclerosis.