Atherosclerotic lesion-specific copper delivery suppresses atherosclerosis in high-cholesterol-fed rabbits

Dietary cholesterol supplements cause hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis along with a reduction of copper concentrations in the atherosclerotic wall in animal models. This study was to determine if target-specific copper delivery to the copper-deficient atherosclerotic wall can block the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Male New Zealand white rabbits, 10-weeks-old and averaged 2.0 kg, were fed a diet containing 1% (w/w) cholesterol or the same diet without cholesterol as control. Twelve weeks after the feeding, the animals were injected with copper-albumin microbubbles and subjected to ultrasound sonication specifically directed at the atherosclerotic lesions (Cu-MB-US) for target-specific copper delivery, twice a week for four weeks. This regiment was repeated 3 times with a gap of two weeks in between. Two weeks after the last treatment, the animals were harvested for analyses of serum and aortic pathological changes. Compared to controls, rabbits fed cholesterol-rich diet developed atherosclerotic lesion with a reduction in copper concentrations in the lesion tissue. Cu-MB-US treatment significantly increased copper concentrations in the lesion, and reduced the size of the lesion. Furthermore, copper repletion reduced the number of apoptotic cells as well as the content of cholesterol and phospholipids in the atherosclerotic lesion without a disturbance of the stability of the lesion. The results thus demonstrate that target-specific copper supplementation suppresses the progression of atherosclerosis at least in part through preventing endothelial cell death, thus reducing lipid infiltration in the atherosclerotic lesion.