Three-dimensional modeling of oxidized-LDL accumulation and HDL mass transport in a coronary artery: a proof-of-concept study for predicting the region of atherosclerotic plaque development.

Abstract

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) has a significant role on the atherosclerotic plaque development, while the concentration of high density lipoproteins (HDL) is considered to play an atheroprotective role according to several biochemical mechanisms. In this work, it is the first time that both LDL and HDL concentrations are taken into account in order to predict the regions prone for plaque development. Our modeling approach is based on the use of a realistic three-dimensional reconstructed pig coronary artery in two time points. Biochemical data measured in the pig were also included in order to develop a more customized model. We modeled coronary blood flow by solving the Navier-Stokes equations in the arterial lumen and plasma filtration in the arterial wall using Darcy's Law. HDL transport was modeled only in the arterial lumen using the convection-diffusion equation, while LDL transport was modeled both in the lumen and the arterial wall. An additional novelty of this work is that we model the oxidation of LDL taking into account the atheroprotective role of HDL. The results of our model were in good agreement with histological findings demonstrating that increased oxidized LDL is found near regions of advanced plaques, while non-oxidized LDL is found in regions of early plaque types.

• Authors: Antonis I Sakellarios, Panagiotis K Siogkas, Lambros S Athanasiou, Themis P Exarchos, Michail I Papafaklis, Christos V Bourantas, Katerina K Naka, Lampros K Michalis, Nenad Filipovic, Oberdan Parodi, Dimitrios I Fotiadis
• Journal: Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference (Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc) Vol. 2013 Pg. 4513-6 ( 2013) ISSN: 2694-0604 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24110737 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Lipoproteins, HDL
• Lipoproteins, LDL
• oxidized low density lipoprotein
• Oxygen

Topics

• Animals
• Biological Transport
• Coronary Angiography
• Coronary Vessels (physiopathology)
• Diffusion
• Humans
• Lipoproteins, HDL (blood)
• Lipoproteins, LDL (blood)
• Models, Animal
• Models, Cardiovascular
• Oxygen (chemistry)
• Permeability
• Plaque, Atherosclerotic (physiopathology)
• Pressure
• Swine
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• X-Ray Microtomography