Treatment of hyperlipoproteinemia with low density lipoprotein antibodies in rats

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the vaccination with low density lipoprotein (LDL) antibodies could have a protective effect on rats developed atherosclerosis through the action of atherogenic diet.

METHODS: Four groups of rats (ranged 8 and 14) were treated for 8 weeks (13 January 2007 to 9 March 2007) at the animal house, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with normal control diet (NC), normal control diet+LDL-Ab (NC +I), atherogenic diet (AT), and atherogenic diet + LDL-Ab (AT+I). Lipid concentrations and other different parameters were measured in serum.

RESULTS: The concentrations of total cholesterol in atherogenic rats treated with LDL-Ab (AT+I) (n=9) were significantly decreased from 5.72 ± 0.21mmol/l to 1.81 ± 0.08 mmol/l (p<0.001). Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations were also significantly decreased in AT+I group (p<0.001), as it dropped by 73% from 3.06 ± 0.09 mmol/l to 0.84 ± 0.04 mmol/l. Phospholipids concentrations were also decreased in AT+I group (p<0.01). The concentrations of both HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol were not significantly different from their matched groups.

CONCLUSION: Results of the present study showed that treatment of atherogenic rats with LDL-Ab significantly decreased the serum concentrations of TC and LDL-C. Our findings suggest that immunization with LDL-Ab has a protective effect on artherogenic rats.