Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 at the early stages of atherosclerosis in a rat model.

Abstract

A cholesterol diet plays a role in the expression of ICAM-1 but not in that of VCAM-1 in the rat aorta. The expression of ICAM-1 in the aorta regresses after the withdrawal of a cholesterol-rich diet. Soluble ICAM-1 is a reliable measure of ICAM-1 expression in the aorta, vasa vasorum and fibroblasts/smooth muscle cells.