Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) can be used to predict cardiovascular injury.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the serum levels of hs-CRP in a rabbit model of atherosclerosis following repeated long-term exposure to positive acceleration and to predict the risk of cardiovascular injury.
METHODS: Twenty-four New Zealand purebred rabbits were randomly divided into a positive acceleration group and a control group. Rabbits in the positive acceleration group were exposed to +4 g rotation for 20 seconds with an acceleration of 1 g/s. The rotation interval was 5 minutes and totally three rotations were daily performed for 3 days per week. 0.5 g rotation was added every week, and by week 4, +6 g rotation was added, and the exposure lasted for 40 seconds.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Exposure to positive acceleration yielded significant effects on serum level of hs-CRP in rabbits with atherosclerosis compared with before exposure (P < 0.01), but exposure time did not produce effects on serum level of hs-CRP (P > 0.05). The interaction between exposure to positive acceleration and exposure time also did not produce significant effects on serum level of hs-CRP (P > 0.05). Hyperplastic foam cells in the aortic tunica intima and the superficial layer of media increased with the prolongation of exposure to positive acceleration. Repeated long-term exposure to positive acceleration may lead to a long-term high serum level of hs-CRP in rabbits.