Plasma low density lipoprotein accumulation in aortas of hypercholesterolemic swine correlates with modifications in aortic glycosaminoglycan composition.

Arterial wall sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAG) of matrix proteoglycans have been implicated in the retention of plasma low density lipoproteins in the early stages of atherosclerosis. We have studied modifications in porcine aortic GAG composition after 4 and 11 weeks of diet-induced hypercholesterolemia. After these time intervals no grossly visible atherosclerotic lesions were discerned. GAG changes were correlated with tissue LDL accumulation estimated by quantification of immunochemically-identifiable apolipoprotein B (apoB). Values of apoB ranged from less than 10 to 250 ng/mg wet weight of aorta, and correlated significantly with tissue total cholesterol contents. Although total GAG concentrations did not differ between a normolipemic control and the two diet groups, apoB showed a significantly positive correlation with the percent of total GAG that was chondroitin sulfate and a significantly negative correlation with the percent of total GAG that was dermatan sulfate. Total tissue cholesterol likewise demonstrated similar correlations with GAG. Since areas of the aorta were chosen that were devoid of intimal thickening, these metabolic changes may occur in the inner part of the arterial tunica media. The results suggest that the accumulation of plasma LDL in the arterial wall following hypercholesterolemia may induce alterations in arterial GAG composition, presumably by affecting GAG synthesis by medial smooth muscle cells.