The giant low-density lipoproteins (LDL) accumulation in the multi-layer artery wall model

TL;DR

This study presents a four-layer mathematical model of LDL transport in arterial walls, revealing giant LDL accumulation in the intima layer influenced by wall shear stress, which is not captured by simpler models.

Contribution

The paper introduces a multi-layer model that accurately predicts LDL accumulation, highlighting the importance of layered structure and WSS sensitivity in arterial wall transport.

Findings

Giant LDL accumulation occurs in the intima layer due to layered structure and WSS sensitivity.

Single-layer models underestimate LDL concentration by an order of magnitude.

Layered models reveal critical transport phenomena missed by simpler approaches.

Abstract

The mathematical, four-layer model of the LDL transport across the arterial wall including the sensitivity of the transport coefficients to the wall shear stress (WSS) is studied. In that model the advection-diffusion equations in porous media are used to determine the LDL concentration profiles in each layer of the arterial wall. We demonstrate the effect of the giant accumulation of the LDL in the intima layer. This property turns out to be an interplay between the layered structure of the arterial wall and WSS sensitivity of the endothelium. Interestingly, we also show that the single-layer models with the same WSS sensitivity mechanism and corresponding parameters, obscure the accumulation phenomenon, which predicts the one order of magnitude larger LDL concentration.