Early changes in the arterial wall of chickens fed a cholesterol diet

A total of 160 1-2 day old chickens were fed a 2% cholesterol diet for a period of 8 to 42 days and compared with an equal number of controls. Aortas were analyzed for various indexes of reactivity of connective tissue, cholesterol content and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characteristics of the endothelial lining. Cholesterol feeding for a period up to 6 weeks resulted in doubling the level of serum cholesterol. It was, however, without effect on the activity of prolyl hydroxylase, lysyl oxidase, collagenase and collagen content in the aortic wall. As early as 3 weeks of feeding significant changes occurred in total and esterified cholesterol content. At the same time endothelial cells were characteristically contracted with several long cytoplasmic elongations and protrusions. A significant decrease of activity of the above enzymes was found in aortic tissue with increased age of the chicken. Collagen content in aortas increased with age of chickens. It is concluded that cholesterol as an atherogenic agent induces marked changes in endothelial cells and lipids of chicken aorta at earlier periods, prior to the activation of connective tissue.