229 Histopathologically Demonstrated Findings of Increased Thickness of Aortic Intima Media in Nicotine Exposed Rat Pups During Gestation and Lactation Period

Epidemiological studies have reported that prenatal factors have a direct effect on the vascular wall that is relevant to atherogenesis from remarkably early in life. The first atherosclerotic lesions usually begin to develop in the abdominal aorta. Our previous studies assessed the influence of maternal smoking on neonatal aortic intima-media thickness (aIMT) by non-invasive ultrasound technique and found that neonates whose mothers smoked have significantly increased aIMT. We have now evaluated the effect of nicotine exposure during pregnancy on rat aIMT histopathologically at three months postnatal age.