Cor Vasa 2025, 67(3):376-380 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2025.015

The Effect of Cigarette Exposure on Intima-Media Thickness (IMT) and VCAM-1 Expression in the Aorta of Mus musculus Mice

Meity Ardianaa, Andriantoa, Hanestya Oky Hermawana, Primasitha Maharany Harsoyoa, Bagas Setiawan Ihsan Zainib, Akbar Reza Muhammadb
a Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga - Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia
b Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia

Background: Smoking remains one of the leading causes of endothelial dysfunction, which triggers the atherosclerotic process and contributes to various cardiovascular diseases. One marker of endothelial dysfunction is an increase in VCAM-1, a molecule that promotes monocyte aggregation and accelerates the development of atherosclerosis. Thickening of the intima-media layer (IMT) is also a common indicator of endothelial damage, frequently observed in smokers. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of cigarette smoking on vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) levels and intima-media thickness (IMT).

Methods: An experimental study with a post-test only controlled group design was conducted. Twelve mice (Mus musculus) were randomly subdivided into four groups: Group K (-), the control group (not exposed to tobacco smoke); Group P1, exposed to smoke daily for 14 days; Group P2, exposed to smoke daily for 21 days; and Group P3, exposed to smoke daily for 28 days. After the 28-day exposure period, samples from all groups were analyzed for VCAM-1 expression and aortic intima-media thickness (IMT).

Results: The tobacco smoke exposure leads to an increase in aortic intima-media thickness (IMT). The IMT measurements showed a significant difference between the 3-week group compared to the 2-week group and the baseline (p <0.05). However, the endothelial dysfunction marker, VCAM-1, did not show a significant change in the aortic samples (p >0.05).

Conclusion: The IMT measurement increased significantly after 3 weeks of cigarette smoke exposure, but the exposure duration was not sufficient to significantly elevate VCAM-1 levels in the aortic tissue of the mice.

Keywords: Aortic tissue, Atherosclerosis, Cigarette smoking, Intima media thickness, VCAM-1

Received: December 26, 2024; Revised: December 26, 2024; Accepted: January 21, 2025; Prepublished online: June 2, 2012; Published: June 20, 2025  Show citation

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Ardiana M, Andrianto, Oky Hermawan H, Maharany Harsoyo P, Setiawan Ihsan Zaini B, Muhammad AR. The Effect of Cigarette Exposure on Intima-Media Thickness (IMT) and VCAM-1 Expression in the Aorta of Mus musculus Mice. Cor Vasa. 2025;67(3):376-380. doi: 10.33678/cor.2025.015.
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