Regional aortic differences in atherosclerosis-susceptibility: changes in prostaglandin biosynthesis and cholesterol accumulation in response to desoxycorticosterone (DOCA)-salt induced hypertension.

In spontaneously atherosclerosis-susceptible White Carneau pigeons, intimal cushions that appear at birth near the coeliac branch of aorta do not progress into atherosclerotic lesions. However, the area across from the intimal cushion (so called 'lesion area') a) accumulates cholesteryl esters b) synthesizes more PGE2 and c) eventually develops into complicated atherosclerotic plaques. When DOCA-salt hypertension is induced in the pigeons, the 'initimal cushion' area displays a) accumulation of increasing amounts of cholesteryl esters and b) increase in the synthesis of all prostaglandins (particularly PGE2) from C14-arachidonic acid and c) approaches similarity to the 'lesion area' in the magnitude of these changes. These results suggest that under the influence of a risk factor, the 'intimal cushion' can acquire biochemical properties of the atherogenic areas of the aorta.