[Role of hypercholesterolemia in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis]

The pathogenic role of hypercholesterolemia in the development of atherosclerosis was determined by investigation of the vessel's wall structural and functional peculiarities in rabbits, which were kept on atherogenic diet. It was evident, that even short duration of hypercholesterolemia led to significant disturbances of vascular reactivity, which manifested mainly in the inhibition of endothelial vasomotor activity against a background of the initial increase of smooth muscle sensitivity to contracting influences. These changes were almost the same in quality and magnitude in all the investigated sections of the vascular system including venous. After the prolonged periods of hypercholesterolemia these changes became much more pronounced but remained well spread through the whole system. The data of the electron microscopy confirmed both predominant disturbances of endothelial structure and their generalized character under the influence of hypercholesterolemia. These results indicate that hypercholesterolemia itself cannot create all the features of vascular atherosclerotic damage and that unlipid factors must be considered as not less important in its pathogenesis.