Atherogenesis in experimental uremia

The development of experimental atherosclerosis was studied in subtotally nephrectomized rats which were subjected to preimmunisation with horseradish peroxidase and subsequent feeding with atherogenic diet. Both in shamoperated pair-fed control animals and in uremic animals, the atherogenic diet caused hyperlipemia which was more pronounced in uremic than in control animals (control animals: triglycerides 1.11 ± 0.04 mmol/l; cholesterol 5.82 ± 0.21 mmol/l; uremia: triglycerides 1.33 ± 0.06; cholesterol 10.9 ± 0.31). An increase of cholesterol was seen both in the VLDL and in the LDL fractions. Despite more pronounced hyperlipemia, lipid concentration in the aortic wall was not increased nor were more marked histological abnormalities encountered in the aorta of uremic animals (cholesterol-fed control: cholesterol 95.4 ± 4.4 μg/mg protein; phospholipids 2.42 ± 0.9 μ/ml protein; cholesterol-fed uremia: cholesterol 96.8 ± 4.9; phospholipids 2.52 ± 0.8). The results suggest that despite hyperlipemia short-term experimental renal insufficiency does not promote atherogenesis.