Antiatherosclerotic Effects of the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors Captopril and Fosinopril in Hypercholesterolemic Minipigs

We evaluated the two angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors captopril and fosinopril with regard to possible antiatherosclerotic effects in minipigs. Experimental hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis was produced in 33 minipigs of the Göttingen strain by an egg yolk/cholesterol-enriched diet for 1 year. One group (n = 11) was fed the atherogenic diet alone and served as a control. A second group (n = 11) received captopril (80 mg/kg/day) added to the atherogenic diet, and a third group (n = 11) was treated in the same manner but with fosinopril (8 mg/kg/day). The drug treatments produced significant reduction in serum ACE activity associated with a reactive increase in plasma renin activity (PRA), but had only minor effects on plasma lipids and lipoproteins. At the end of the treatment period, all animals were killed and examined for degree of atherosclerosis. The percentage of atherosclerotic area in the abdominal aorta was significantly lower in both drug-treated groups as compared with controls. Furthermore, accumulation of cholesterol in the thoracic and abdominal aorta was inhibited by drug treatment. Finally, the percentage of intimal thickening in abdominal aorta was significantly reduced in the drug-treated groups. In conclusion, the ACE inhibitors captopril and fosinopril inhibited development of atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic minipigs.