Effect of macrophage-derived apolipoprotein E on established atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

Weibin Shi, Xuping Wang, Nicholas J. Wang, William H. McBride, Aldons J. Lusis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE(-/-)) mice have hyperlipidemia and develop spontaneous atherosclerosis in a time-dependent manner. Although macrophage-derived apoE has been shown to prevent the development of atherosclerosis in apoE(-/-) mice, whether it would induce regression of established atherosclerosis is unknown. To determine this, 8-week-old apoE(-/-) mice were transplanted with apoE(+/+) bone marrow. Four weeks after transplantation, when plasma cholesterol levels had reached normal levels, a group of mice (n= 12) were killed and their aortic lesions were measured and used as a baseline to judge regression. Twelve and 20 weeks after transplantation, aortic lesion areas of the mice were 9340±2184 μm2 (mean±SEM, n=8) and 12 211 ±1433 μm2 (n=9), respectively, values not significantly different from the lesion areas of the baseline mice (12 347±2487 μm2; n= 12, P>0.05). In contrast, apoE(-/-) mice reconstituted with apoE(-/-) bone marrow developed severe atherosclerotic lesions (453 036±29 767 μm2, n=7) 20 weeks after transplantation. These data suggest that macrophage-derived apoE was insufficient to induce significant regression of established atherosclerotic lesions in apoE(-/-) mice, although it was sufficient to eliminate hypercholesterolemia and prevent progression of aortic lesions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2261-2266
Number of pages6
JournalArteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology
Volume20
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Apolipoprotein E
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Bone marrow transplantation
  • Macrophages
  • Regression

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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