Coronary arterial lesions in Mg-deficient hamsters

Dietary Mg deficiency is thought to promote coronary artery spasm, probably through Ca overloading of vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells. We now report the demonstration of a coronary arteriopathy in hamsters fed a Mg-deficient diet for 10 days or more. Affected arteries showed endothelial and VSM cell hyperplasia and pleomorphism, chronic inflammation of the media and adventitia, and fibrinoid necrosis. Lesions of myocardial ischemia, distinct from the well-known lesions of myocardial necrosis and calcification common in Mg deficient animals, were also present. Von Kossa positive granules were found in the VSM of Mg-deficient, but not control, hamsters. This vasculopathy is a new factor to be considered in the pathophysiology of Mg deficiency. It is consistent with the view that Ca loading of VSM plays an important role in this condition and could be related to the occurrence of coronary artery spasm.