Abstract 5293: A New Animal Model of Hypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis: Mice Deficient in All Nitric Oxide Synthases

Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Masato Tsutsui ◽  
Yasuko Yatera ◽  
Hiroaki Shimokawa ◽  
Sei Nakata ◽  
Kiyoko Shibata ◽  
...  

We have recently developed mice lacking all three nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms: nNOS, iNOS, and eNOS ( PNAS 2005). In this study, we examined the effects of a high-cholesterol (HC) diet on lipid metabolism and vascular lesion formation in those mice. Experiments were performed in 2-month-old male wild-type (WT) and singly, doubly, and triply NOS −/− mice (n=6–9). They were maintained on either a regular diet or a HC diet for 3 months. The HC feeding significantly increased plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) in all the genotypes studied as compared on the regular diet (all P <0.05). These serum levels of TC and LDL on the HC diet (mg/dl) were both significantly higher in all the singly, doubly, and triply NOS −/− genotypes as compared with the WT genotype (singly nNOS −/− [371±61 and 205±65], iNOS −/− [559±62 and 350±62], eNOS −/− [619±22 and 395±25], doubly n/iNOS −/− [518±77 and 328±72], n/eNOS −/− [635±56 and 458.8±42], e/iNOS −/− [480±38 and 260±40], triply n/i/eNOS −/− [2316±704 and 1588±715], and WT [326±43 and 244±54]) (all P <0.05). Notably, the extent of the dyslipidemia was by far severest in the triply n/i/eNOS −/− genotype among the NOS −/− genotypes, and intriguingly, the serum levels of TC and LDL in the triply n/i/eNOS −/− genotype were equivalent to those in apolipoprotein E −/− mice that exhibit severe hypercholesterolemia. Lipid accumulation in the aorta on the HC diet (lipid area, %, oil red O staining) was also significantly more accelerated in all the NOS −/− genotypes than in the WT genotype (singly nNOS −/− [6.6±1.5], iNOS −/− [6.7±2.2], eNOS −/− [5.5±2.3], doubly n/iNOS −/− [4.7±1.7], n/eNOS −/− [6.4±1.4], i/eNOS −/− [6.8±1.3], triply n/i/eNOS −/− [20.6±1.0], and WT [3.6±1.2]), while the extent of the aortic atherosclerosis was again by far severest in the triply n/i/eNOS −/− genotype (all P <0.05). These results demonstrate that mice deficient in all NOSs manifest severe hypercholesterolemia and lipid-rich atherosclerotic lesion formation in response to a HC diet, indicating a pivotal role of the whole NOS system in preventing those disorders. Our triply NOS −/− mouse is a new experimental model of human hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

1999 ◽  
Vol 97 (6) ◽  
pp. 697-706 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. BARDEN ◽  
L. J. BEILIN ◽  
K. BOTH ◽  
J. RITCHIE ◽  
P. LEEDMAN ◽  
...  

In order to evaluate whether lipid abnormalities may contribute to endothelial dysfunction in pre-eclampsia, the present study examined the in vitro effects of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), isolated from women with pre-eclampsia and matched controls, on the endothelial synthesis of 6-oxo-prostaglandin F1α (6-oxo-PGF1α; a metabolite of prostacyclin) and endothelin 1, and on the expression of nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) mRNA. VLDL, LDL and HDL cholesterol were isolated from 20 pre-eclamptic and 20 age- and gestation-matched normal pregnant women. The lipoproteins (50 μg/ml) and lipoprotein-free control plasma were incubated for 1, 3 and 6 h at 37 °C with a human umbilical endothelial cell line. The synthesis of 6-oxo-PGF1α and endothelin 1, and NOS3 mRNA expression, were measured at each time point. VLDL from pre-eclamptic women stimulated endothelial cell 6-oxo-PGF1α synthesis to a lesser extent than that from normal pregnant women (P< 0.05). LDL from women with pre-eclampsia also stimulated 6-oxo-PGF1α synthesis to a lesser extent than LDL from normal pregnant women, but the effect was less sustained. The effect of HDL from women with pre-eclampsia on 6-oxo-PGF1α synthesis was similar to that of HDL from normal pregnant women. The pre-incubation levels of lipid peroxides in VLDL and LDL were not different between the normal pregnant and pre-eclamptic women, and cannot account for the decrease in 6-oxo-PGF1α synthesis. VLDL, LDL and HDL from women with pre-eclampsia did not affect endothelial cell synthesis of endothelin 1 or expression of NOS3 mRNA differently from lipoproteins from normal pregnant women. This study suggests that VLDL, and to a lesser extent LDL, from women with pre-eclampsia could potentially contribute to the reduced systemic 6-oxo-PGF1α synthesis observed in the pre-eclamptic syndrome.


1995 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 510-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirkwood A. Pritchard ◽  
Laura Groszek ◽  
David M. Smalley ◽  
William C. Sessa ◽  
Mingdan Wu ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sishan Yan ◽  
Teng Wu ◽  
Ning Li ◽  
Lingyi Zhang ◽  
Jun Song ◽  
...  

Longhu Rendan (LHRD), a Chinese traditional compound medicine, has a remarkable treatment effect on motion sickness for about half a century. However, the role of LHRD in atherosclerosis treatment is still unclear. In this study, LHRD treatment significantly diminished total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in apolipoprotein E gene-knockout (ApoE-/-) mice fed with high fat and high cholesterol diet (western diet). Besides, LHRD treatment significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesion and plaques formation in both aortic roots and aortic trees. Furthermore, immunofluorescence staining in aortic roots demonstrated that LHRD treatment inhibited lectin-like oxidized low-density-lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) expression in atherosclerotic plaques. These results indicated that LHRD ameliorated atherosclerosis via reducing serum levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C as well as LOX-1 expression, subsequently attenuating atherosclerotic lesion and lipid deposition. In conclusion, LHRD could significantly attenuate experimental atherosclerosis and might be a novel potential drug for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.


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