Increased expression in vivo of VCAM-1 and E-selectin by the aortic endothelium of normolipemic and hyperlipemic diabetic rabbits.

Abstract
Atherosclerosis is enhanced in humans with diabetes mellitus, but the mechanism(s) involved remains unclear. Increased leukocyte-endothelium interaction may be involved, since mononuclear leukocyte adherence to the endothelium is an early event in both experimental atherosclerosis and alloxan-induced diabetes in rabbits. In situ immunohistochemistry was used in en face Häutchen endothelial preparations to identify endothelial cells that stained with antibodies to endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecules (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 [VCAM-1] and E-selectin), and the number of stained cells per 10,000 cells was determined. Preparations from aortas of diabetic normolipemic and egg yolk diet-induced hyperlipemic diabetic rabbits were compared with those from normoglycemic animals on similar diets. Cross sections of the vessel wall were stained with oil red O and antibodies to VCAM-1, E-selectin, and RAM-11-positive macrophages. After 4 weeks of hyperlipemia the frequency of cells expressing VCAM-1 or E-...