The impact of intermittent and repetitive cold stress exposure on endoplasmic reticulum stress and instability of atherosclerotic plaques.

Background: The incidence of acute coronary syndrome caused by the rupture of atherosclerotic plaque and subsequent arterial thrombosis increases as the weather gets colder. However, the association between cold stress and atherosclerotic plaque rupture is currently unknown.

Methods: An atherosclerotic plaque model was established in rabbits by balloon injury and a high-fat diet with or without cold stress (4 °C, 1 hour per day, 20 weeks) at the onset of modeling.