Aortic atheromatous lesions developed in APA hamsters with streptozotocin induced diabetes: a new animal model for diabetic atherosclerosis. 1. Histopathological studies.

To develop an adequate animal model for atherosclerosis in large vessels of patients with diabetes, i.e. diabetic macroangiopathy, we induced diabetes in APA hamsters with a single injection of streptozotocin (SZ) and examined the aorta histopathologically and immunohistochemically. As a result, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia were continuously observed for 26 weeks after the SZ injection (WAI) in APA hamsters. Fatty streaks characterized by a subendothelial accumulation of many foam cells were observed, limited to the aortic arches as early as 6 WAI. In addition to larger fatty streaks developing with the duration of diabetes, fibrous plaques and plaques containing calcium deposits or cholesterol clefts developed at 26 WAI. These lesions are generally similar to the atheromatous lesions developed in humans. Moreover, depositions of apolipoprotein E and advanced glycation end-products immunohistochemically detected in the lesions were very similar to those found in humans. The diabetic APA hamster is therefore considered to be a useful model for studying the formation of atheromatous lesions in diabetic patients.