We have developed a mouse model of atherosclerotic plaque regression in which an atherosclerotic aortic arch from a hyperlipidemic donor is transplanted into a normolipidemic recipient, resulting in rapid elimination of cholesterol and monocyte-derived macrophage cells (CD68+) from transplanted vessel walls. To gain a comprehensive view of the differences in gene expression patterns in macropha...

OBJECTIVES A significant inter-individual variability in statin treatment efficacy is likely to have a strong genetic background. A candidate gene with the potential to influence statin treatment efficacy is SLCO1B1. This gene codes for the solute carrier organic anion transporter, which has been shown to regulate the hepatic uptake of statins and some other drugs. MATERIALS AND METHODS The S...

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is present in the arterial wall and is activated in response to cellular stressors that raise AMP relative to ADP/ATP. Activation of AMPK in vivo lowers blood pressure but the influence of hyperlipidemia on this response has not been studied. ApoE(-/-) mice on high fat diet for 6weeks and age-matched controls were treated with the AMPK activator, AICAR daily ...

We have used adipose tissuebiopsies to assessthe quality of fat in the diet and its influence on plasma lipid levels in 413 free-living normolipidemic male subjects. Factor analysis identified three factors which separated the fatty acids on the basis of their chemical structure. F1monounsaturates-animal fats; F2-saturates--carbohydrates; F3-polyunsaturates-vegetable oils. An increase in F1 was...

Ascofuranone significantly reduced serum lipid levels of rats fed with normal diet 6 hours after a single oral administration of 108 mg/kg. Whenthe antibiotic was orally given for consecutive 10 days to normolipidemic rats, the treatment resulted in marked reduction of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids and free fatty acids without affecting organ weight gain, serum total protein, ...