目的 分析ApoE基因敲除(ApoE-/-)小鼠血脂变化及主动脉动脉粥样硬化的超声生物显微镜(UBM)成像特征.方法 8周龄及16周龄雄性ApoE-/-小鼠各8只为实验组,同周龄同数量的雄性C57BL/6小鼠为对照组.应用超声生物显微镜观察小鼠主动脉根部、升主动脉和主动脉弓的形态结构,于主动脉根部短轴切面测量内-中膜厚度(IMT),并测定小鼠血脂.结果 ApoE-/-小鼠血清总胆固醇(total cholesterol,TC)、甘油三酯(triglyceride,TG)及低密度脂蛋白(low density lipoprotein,LDL)水平较同周龄对照组明显升高(P＜0.01);高密度脂蛋白(high density lipoprotein,HDL)水平较同周龄对照组减低(P＜0.05).16周龄ApoE-/-小鼠血脂较8周龄ApoE-/-小鼠增高更为明显,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).ApoE-/-小鼠的主动脉根部IMT较同周龄对照组增厚,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01); 16周龄ApoE-/-小鼠IMT (0.208±0.038) mm较8周龄ApoE-/-小鼠主动脉根部IMT (0.121±0.025) mm增厚更为明显,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).结论 ApoE-/-小鼠早期出现高脂血症,UBM成像可显示小鼠主动脉早期动脉粥样硬化的病变特征.%Objective The purpose of this study was to analyse the association between ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM)characteristics and the change of plasma lipids in the Apolipoprotein-E knockout (ApoE-/-) mice. Methods Two different age (8 weeks and 16 weeks ) groups of male ApoE- /- mice were used as atherosclerotic groups. Another 2 groups of age-matched male C57BL/6 mice were used as normal controls. Intima-medial thickness was measured in the aortic root short-axis images by UBM. The concentrations of total cholesterol (TO, triglycerides (TG) , high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured. Results Serum TC, LDL-C and TG were significantly higher in the ApoE-/- groups than those in the age-matched controls (P<0. 01). HDL-C was lower in the ApoE-/- groups than that in the controls (P<0. 05) . IMTs in the aortic root were thicker in ApoE - /- mice than those in the controls at same weeks of age. And the IMTs of 16 weeks were thicker than 8-week-old ApoE-/- mice(P<0. 01). Conclusions At the early stage of atherosclerosis, ApoE-/- mice appeared hypercholesteremia. UBM provides a noninvasive method of detecting early atherosclerotic progression in ApoE-/- mice.
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