Effect of Chelation on Phosphorus Metabolism in Experimental Atherosclerosis

• Interest in this laboratory has been directed toward the pathogenesis of plaque formation and general tissue change in the aortae of rabbits with induced atherosclerosis. Specifically, components of the tissue involving sulfate and phosphorus in relation to localization and chemical composition have been dealt with in some detail. In this communication, the action of the chelating agent ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (BDTA) on plaque formation is described with respect to phosphorus. While this report concerns animal experimentation and induced atherosclerosis, there have appeared in the literature accounts of beneficial effects of EDTA on the course of sclerosing diseases in humans. Several reports have cited beneficial effects of this compound on various manifestations of atherosclerotic origin."" Hence it appeared worth while to test the effect of EDTA in animal experimentation on the phosphorus moiety of sclerosed arterial tissue.