The prevention and treatment effects of egg yolk high density lipoprotein on the formation of atherosclerosis plaque in rabbits

Objective(s): Atherosclerosis is the main leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential preventive effect of egg yolk HDL on the atherosclerosis plaque formation. Materials and Methods: Thirty rabbits were divided into five groups: A; normal diet, B; hyper-cholesterolemic diet, C; hypercholesterolemic + ۴۰۰ mg/kg egg yolk HDL D; hypercholesterolemic +۱۰۰ mg/kg egg yolk HDL and E; ۲۰۰ mg/kg egg yolk HDL. At the end of the experiment, the lipid profiles were measured by spectrophotometric method. The histological sections of thoracic aorta also were taken and analyzed under light microscope. Results: At the end of the ۲nd and the ۴th weeks, there was a significant increase of cholesterol level in groups B, C, and D compared to group A (P<۰.۰۵). Following HDL treatment, triglyceride (TG) levels increased significantly versus  group A and also the TG level decreased significantly in group C, D, and E versus group B  (P<۰.۰۱). Egg yolk HDL significantly increased HDL-C in groups C, D, and E (P<۰.۰۱) compared to groups A and B (P<۰.۰۵). The surface area of the atherosclerotic plaque was increased significantly in group B versus group A (P<۰.۰۰۱). Egg yolk HDL consumption reduced the plaque size significantly (P<۰.۰۰۱). Conclusion: Our findings indicated that treatment with egg yolk HDL increased serum HDL-C and decreased atherosclerotic plaque size in rabbits.Thus, egg yolk HDL may be considered as an anti-atherosclerotic treatment for cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords:

Atherosclerosis , Cholesterol , Egg yolk , HDL , Rabbit