OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of induced homocystinemia in the swine iliac artery. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A comparative experimental study with two homogeneous groups of seven pigs from the Macao specimen, weighed between 20 and 30 kg, which were assessed during 30 days. The pigs were divided into two groups. One of them was fed with a methionine-rich diet for a 4-week period. Blood samples were collected for analyses of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and homocysteine concentrations. The animals were submitted to arteriography to evaluate the patency of iliac arteries and then sacrificed. The iliac artery segment was removed for histological analysis. RESULTS: All animals survived the procedure, and there were no significant changes in total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL concentrations in both groups. Microscopic examinations of the control group did not show pathological changes and was similar in all analyses. In the group receiving the methionine diet, the plaques were formed by foamy macrophages, but smooth muscle cells, cholesterol crystals or inflammatory cells were not seen. The tunica media had the internal elastic lamina intact. In the control group, there was no change in homocysteine levels during the experiment. In the methionine group, there was an increase in plasma homocysteine levels, with an average value of 59.80 µmol/l after 30 days with a methionine-rich diet. CONCLUSION: Homocystinemia induced by methionine causes atherogenesis in the swine iliac artery.
Homocysteine; pigs; iliac artery
