gender difference in endothelial permeability of aorta in rabbits consuming normal or high-cholesterol diets

the endothelial permeability of aorta (epa) is influenced by atherosclerosis.  whether the physiological difference in epa is a sex-dependent phenomenon remains to be determined.  the objective of this study was to determine the epa difference between male and female rabbits.  an experimental model was designed to obtain 4 groups of animals.  the ovariectomized rabbits were fed with normal (group i) and 1% cholesterol-rich diets (group iii).  the male rabbits also received normal (group ii) and cholesterol-rich diets (group iv).  after 5 wks, the epa was measured by evan blue (eb) dye uptake method.  the eb uptake was significantly (p<0.05) lower in females, regardless of the diet they used.  in groups i to iv, the mean±sd eb uptake was 4.83±2.06, 15.15±2.91, 7.01±2.40, and 20.58±3.62 m g/g weight of aorta, respectively.  the lower epa in females may play a role in reducing the risk of development of atherosclerosis.