Vaccination Against Cholesterol: Immunologic Modulation of Diet-InducedHypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis in Rabbits

摘要

Immunization of rabbits with a protein-ftee formulation consisting of liposomescontaining 71% cholesterol and lipid A as an adjuvant induced antibodies that recognized highly purified nonoxidized crystalline cholesterol and rabbit VLD/IDl by ELISA. In rabbits that were fed an atherogenic diet containing O.5%-l.O% cholesterol, a marked diminution of hypercholesterolemia (as much as 979 mg/dl lower) was observed in the immunized animals when compared to nonimmunized controls. Analysis of aortic fatty streaks by automated morphometric probability-of-occurrence mapping of audanophilia showed significantly diminished lesions in vaccines in most areas of the aorta.