Effect of copper intake on inflammatory factors associated with arteriosclerosis in rats

Objective To find out the effect of copperintake on the inflammatory factors a ssociated with arteriosclerosis(AS)formation in rats.Methods Wistar rats were fed with special feed without copper,and stock diet was given with copper gluconate at different dose with stomach tube every day for 30 days.Cerulopla smin(CP)was used to study the effect of copper on the inflammatory factors associated with AS formation.Results When the activity of CP was in the range of 20.442-37.5692U/L,the Creactive prote in(CRP)could predict AS caused by abnormal copper intake.When the copper intake of the rats was lower or higher than normal daily in take,the level of homocy steine(HCY)in the blood of the rats was higher than normal level(P<0.05).The in tercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1)level was higher than the normal level in the rats with abnormal copper intake with significant difference(P<0.05)when the activity of CP was in the range of 30.279-37.569U/L.The monocyte chemotactic factor-1(MCP-1)level was higher than the normal level in all groups with a significant difference(P<0.05)when the activity of CP was in the range of 20.442-37.569U/L.Conclusion The inflammatory factors associated with AS could be activated when the copper in take of rats were extremely highorlow than the normal level.