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(Circulation. 1998;97:2433-2444.)
© 1998 American Heart Association, Inc.

Basic Science Reports

Lipid Lowering by Diet Reduces Matrix Metalloproteinase Activity and Increases Collagen Content of Rabbit Atheroma

A Potential Mechanism of Lesion Stabilization

Masanori Aikawa, MD, PhD; Elena Rabkin, MD, PhD; Yoshikatsu Okada, MD, PhD; Sami J. Voglic; Steven K. Clinton, MD, PhD; Constance E. Brinckerhoff, PhD; Galina K. Sukhova, PhD; ; Peter Libby, MD

From the Vascular Medicine and Atherosclerosis Unit, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School (M.A., E.R., Y.O., S.J.V., G.K.S., P.L.), and the Department of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School (S.K.C.), Boston, Mass; and the Department of Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School (C.E.B.), Hanover, NH.

Correspondence to Dr Peter Libby, Vascular Medicine and Atherosclerosis Unit, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 221 Longwood Ave, LMRC 307, Boston, MA 02115. E-mail plibby{at}rics.bwh.harvard.edu

Background—Proteolytic enzyme activity in lipid-rich atheroma may promote plaque rupture and precipitate acute coronary syndromes. This study tested the hypothesis that lipid lowering stabilizes plaques by reducing proteolytic activity.

Methods and Results—We produced experimental atheroma in 33 rabbits by balloon injury and an atherogenic diet (0.3% cholesterol and 4.7% coconut oil) for 4 months. At that time, 15 rabbits were killed (baseline group). The remaining animals were divided into two groups: a hyperlipemic group continued to consume a cholesterol-enriched diet (0.05% to 0.2%) for 16 more months (n=5) and a lipid-lowering group consumed a purified chow diet with no added cholesterol or fat for 8 (n=3) or 16 months (n=10). Macrophage accumulation and interstitial collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase-1, MMP-1) expression in the lesion were measured by quantitative image analysis of standardized sections of immunostained aortas. Baseline lesions expressed high levels of MMP-1 and contained many macrophages. These features of plaque instability persisted in the hyperlipemic group. However, the lipid-lowering group showed progressive reduction in both macrophage content and MMP-1 immunoreactivity with time. Aortic rings of the baseline and hyperlipemic groups elaborated gelatinolytic, caseinolytic, and elastinolytic activity attributable to MMP-2, MMP-3, or MMP-9, monitored by SDS-PAGE zymography. Proteolytic activity decreased markedly in the lipid-lowering group. Aortic content of interstitial collagen, determined by sirius red staining, increased in the lipid-lowering group compared with the baseline or continued hyperlipemic groups, indicating that lipid lowering reinforced the fibrous skeleton of the atheroma.

Conclusions—These results establish a mechanism by which lipid lowering may stabilize vulnerable plaques by reduced expression and activity of enzymes that degrade the arterial extracellular matrix and render atheroma less susceptible to disruption and thrombosis by favoring collagen accumulation in the fibrous cap.

Key Words: metalloproteinases • atherosclerosis • diet • hypercholesterolemia • collagen

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				P. Verhamme, R. Quarck, H. Hao, M. Knaapen, S. Dymarkowski, H. Bernar, J. Van Cleemput, S. Janssens, J. Vermylen, G. Gabbiani, et al. Dietary cholesterol withdrawal reduces vascular inflammation and induces coronary plaque stabilization in miniature pigs Cardiovasc Res, October 1, 2002; 56(1): 135 - 144. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Aikawa, S. Sugiyama, C. C. Hill, S. J. Voglic, E. Rabkin, Y. Fukumoto, F. J. Schoen, J. L. Witztum, and P. Libby Lipid Lowering Reduces Oxidative Stress and Endothelial Cell Activation in Rabbit Atheroma Circulation, September 10, 2002; 106(11): 1390 - 1396. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. K. Sukhova, J. K. Williams, and P. Libby Statins Reduce Inflammation in Atheroma of Nonhuman Primates Independent of Effects on Serum Cholesterol Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, September 1, 2002; 22(9): 1452 - 1458. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. P. Choudhury, V. Fuster, J. J. Badimon, E. A. Fisher, and Z. A. Fayad MRI and Characterization of Atherosclerotic Plaque: Emerging Applications and Molecular Imaging Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, July 1, 2002; 22(7): 1065 - 1074. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Hulthe and B. Fagerberg Circulating Oxidized LDL Is Associated With Subclinical Atherosclerosis Development and Inflammatory Cytokines (AIR Study) Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, July 1, 2002; 22(7): 1162 - 1167. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. C. Major, L. Liang, X. Lu, W. Rosebury, and T. M.A. Bocan Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase Inducer (EMMPRIN) Is Induced Upon Monocyte Differentiation and Is Expressed in Human Atheroma Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, July 1, 2002; 22(7): 1200 - 1207. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Loftus and M. Thompson The role of matrix metalloproteinases in vascular disease Vascular Medicine, May 1, 2002; 7(2): 117 - 133. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. R. Bennett Breaking the Plaque: Evidence for Plaque Rupture in Animal Models of Atherosclerosis Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, May 1, 2002; 22(5): 713 - 714. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. D. Rekhter How to evaluate plaque vulnerability in animal models of atherosclerosis? Cardiovasc Res, April 1, 2002; 54(1): 36 - 41. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Libby and M. Aikawa Vitamin C, Collagen, and Cracks in the Plaque Circulation, March 26, 2002; 105(12): 1396 - 1398. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. S. Galis and J. J. Khatri Matrix Metalloproteinases in Vascular Remodeling and Atherogenesis: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Circ. Res., February 22, 2002; 90(3): 251 - 262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K.S. MOULTON Plaque Angiogenesis: Its Functions and Regulation Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, January 1, 2002; 67(0): 471 - 482. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. S. Cherr, S. J. Motew, J. A. Travis, J. Fingerle, L. Fisher, M. Brandl, J. K. Williams, and R. L. Geary Metalloproteinase Inhibition and the Response to Angioplasty and Stenting in Atherosclerotic Primates Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, January 1, 2002; 22(1): 161 - 166. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Rabkin, M. Aikawa, J. R. Stone, Y. Fukumoto, P. Libby, and F. J. Schoen Activated Interstitial Myofibroblasts Express Catabolic Enzymes and Mediate Matrix Remodeling in Myxomatous Heart Valves Circulation, November 20, 2001; 104(21): 2525 - 2532. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. J. Blake and P. M. Ridker Novel Clinical Markers of Vascular Wall Inflammation Circ. Res., October 26, 2001; 89(9): 763 - 771. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Sangiorgi, R. D'Averio, A. Mauriello, M. Bondio, M. Pontillo, S. Castelvecchio, S. Trimarchi, V. Tolva, G. Nano, V. Rampoldi, et al. Plasma Levels of Metalloproteinases-3 and -9 as Markers of Successful Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Exclusion After Endovascular Graft Treatment Circulation, September 18, 2001; 104 (2009): I-288 - I-295. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Schoenhagen, K. M. Ziada, D. G. Vince, S. E. Nissen, and E. M. Tuzcu Arterial remodeling and coronary artery disease: the concept of "dilated" versus "obstructive" coronary atherosclerosis J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., August 1, 2001; 38(2): 297 - 306. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. R. Kwak and F. Mach Statins Inhibit Leukocyte Recruitment: New Evidence for Their Anti-Inflammatory Properties Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, August 1, 2001; 21(8): 1256 - 1258. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.F. Bentzon and E. Falk Coronary plaques calling for action -- why, where and how many? Eur. Heart J. Suppl., August 1, 2001; 3(suppl_I): I3 - I9. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Schartl, W. Bocksch, D. H. Koschyk, W. Voelker, K. R. Karsch, J. Kreuzer, D. Hausmann, S. Beckmann, and M. Gross Use of Intravascular Ultrasound to Compare Effects of Different Strategies of Lipid-Lowering Therapy on Plaque Volume and Composition in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Circulation, July 24, 2001; 104(4): 387 - 392. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Corti, Z. A. Fayad, V. Fuster, S. G. Worthley, G. Helft, J. Chesebro, M. Mercuri, and J. J. Badimon Effects of Lipid-Lowering by Simvastatin on Human Atherosclerotic Lesions: A Longitudinal Study by High-Resolution, Noninvasive Magnetic Resonance Imaging Circulation, July 17, 2001; 104(3): 249 - 252. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Libby Current Concepts of the Pathogenesis of the Acute Coronary Syndromes Circulation, July 17, 2001; 104(3): 365 - 372. [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. J. Feldman, M. Mazighi, A. Scheuble, J.-F. Deux, E. De Benedetti, C. Badier-Commander, E. Brambilla, D. Henin, P. G. Steg, and M.-P. Jacob Differential Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinases After Stent Implantation and Balloon Angioplasty in the Hypercholesterolemic Rabbit Circulation, June 26, 2001; 103(25): 3117 - 3122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Kataoka, N. Kume, S. Miyamoto, M. Minami, M. Morimoto, K. Hayashida, N. Hashimoto, and T. Kita Oxidized LDL Modulates Bax/Bcl-2 Through the Lectinlike Ox-LDL Receptor-1 in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, June 1, 2001; 21(6): 955 - 960. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]