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Han Y, Zhou J, Zhang R, Liang Y, Lai L, Li Z. Genome-edited rabbits: Unleashing the potential of a promising experimental animal model across diverse diseases. Zool Res 2024; 45:253-262. [PMID: 38287906 PMCID: PMC11017087 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal models are extensively used in all aspects of biomedical research, with substantial contributions to our understanding of diseases, the development of pharmaceuticals, and the exploration of gene functions. The field of genome modification in rabbits has progressed slowly. However, recent advancements, particularly in CRISPR/Cas9-related technologies, have catalyzed the successful development of various genome-edited rabbit models to mimic diverse diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, immunodeficiencies, aging-related ailments, neurological diseases, and ophthalmic pathologies. These models hold great promise in advancing biomedical research due to their closer physiological and biochemical resemblance to humans compared to mice. This review aims to summarize the novel gene-editing approaches currently available for rabbits and present the applications and prospects of such models in biomedicine, underscoring their impact and future potential in translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Han
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Jiale Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Renquan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Yuru Liang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
| | - Liangxue Lai
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510530, China
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guang Dong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou, Guangdong 510005, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. E-mail:
| | - Zhanjun Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130062, China. E-mail:
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2
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Dabravolski S, Orekhov NA, Melnichenko A, Sukhorukov VN, Popov MA, Orekhov A. Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) Variations in Relation to Lipid Profiles and Cardiovascular Diseases: An Update. Curr Pharm Des 2024; 30:742-756. [PMID: 38425105 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128284695240219093612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Lipid metabolism plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is a crucial glycoprotein involved in lipid metabolism by transferring cholesteryl esters (CE) and triglycerides (TG) between plasma lipoproteins. CETP activity results in reduced HDL-C and increased VLDL- and LDL-C concentrations, thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In this review, we discuss the structure of CETP and its mechanism of action. Furthermore, we focus on recent experiments on animal CETP-expressing models, deciphering the regulation and functions of CETP in various genetic backgrounds and interaction with different external factors. Finally, we discuss recent publications revealing the association of CETP single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, lifestyle factors, diet and therapeutic interventions. While CETP SNPs can be used as effective diagnostic markers, diet, lifestyle, gender and ethnic specificity should also be considered for effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siarhei Dabravolski
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, ORT Braude College, Braude Academic College of Engineering, Karmiel, Israel
| | - Nikolay A Orekhov
- Laboratory of Angiopatology, Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, The Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alexandra Melnichenko
- Laboratory of Angiopatology, Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, The Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vasily N Sukhorukov
- Laboratory of Angiopatology, Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, The Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Mikhail A Popov
- Laboratory of Angiopatology, Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, The Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alexander Orekhov
- Laboratory of Angiopatology, Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, The Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
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3
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Nguyen VP, Song J, Prieskorn D, Zou J, Li Y, Dolan D, Xu J, Zhang J, Jayasundera KT, Yang J, Raphael Y, Khan N, Iannuzzi M, Bisgaier C, Chen YE, Paulus YM, Yang D. USH2A Gene Mutations in Rabbits Lead to Progressive Retinal Degeneration and Hearing Loss. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2023; 12:26. [PMID: 36795064 PMCID: PMC9940772 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.12.2.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Mutations in USH2A gene are responsible for the greatest proportion of the Usher Syndrome (USH) population, among which more than 30% are frameshift mutations on exon 13. A clinically relevant animal model has been absent for USH2A-related vision loss. Here we sought to establish a rabbit model carrying USH2A frameshift mutation on exon 12 (human exon 13 equivalent). Methods CRISPR/Cas9 reagents targeting the rabbit USH2A exon 12 were delivered into rabbit embryos to produce an USH2A mutant rabbit line. The USH2A knockout animals were subjected to a series of functional and morphological analyses, including acoustic auditory brainstem responses, electroretinography, optical coherence tomography, fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence, histology, and immunohistochemistry. Results The USH2A mutant rabbits exhibit hyper-autofluorescent signals on fundus autofluorescence and hyper-reflective signals on optical coherence tomography images as early as 4 months of age, which indicate retinal pigment epithelium damage. Auditory brainstem response measurement in these rabbits showed moderate to severe hearing loss. Electroretinography signals of both rod and cone function were decreased in the USH2A mutant rabbits starting from 7 months of age and further decreased at 15 to 22 months of age, indicating progressive photoreceptor degeneration, which is confirmed by histopathological examination. Conclusions Disruption of USH2A gene in rabbits is sufficient to induce hearing loss and progressive photoreceptor degeneration, mimicking the USH2A clinical disease. Translational Relevance To our knowledge, this study presents the first mammalian model of USH2 showing the phenotype of retinitis pigmentosa. This study supports the use of rabbits as a clinically relevant large animal model to understand the pathogenesis and to develop novel therapeutics for Usher syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van Phuc Nguyen
- W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jun Song
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Diane Prieskorn
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Junhuang Zou
- John A. Moran Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Utah Medical School, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Yanxiu Li
- W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - David Dolan
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - K. Thiran Jayasundera
- W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jun Yang
- John A. Moran Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Utah Medical School, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Yehoash Raphael
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Naheed Khan
- W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | | | - Y. Eugene Chen
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yannis M. Paulus
- W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dongshan Yang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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4
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Kamato D, Ilyas I, Xu S, Little PJ. Non-Mouse Models of Atherosclerosis: Approaches to Exploring the Translational Potential of New Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12964. [PMID: 36361754 PMCID: PMC9656683 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease is the largest single cause of disease-related mortality worldwide and the major underlying pathology is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis develops as a complex process of vascular lipid deposition and retention by modified proteoglycans, endothelial dysfunction and unresolved chronic inflammation. There are a multitude of current therapeutic agents, most based on lowering plasma lipid levels, but, overall, they have a lower than optimum level of efficacy and many deaths continue to arise from cardiovascular disease world-wide. To identify and evaluate potential novel cardiovascular drugs, suitable animal models that reproduce human atherosclerosis with a high degree of fidelity are required as essential pre-clinical research tools. Commonly used animal models of atherosclerosis include mice (ApoE-/-, LDLR-/- mice and others), rabbits (WHHL rabbits and others), rats, pigs, hamster, zebrafish and non-human primates. Models based on various wild-type and genetically modified mice have been extensively reviewed but mice may not always be appropriate. Thus, here, we provide an overview of the advantages and shortcomings of various non-mouse animal models of atherosclerotic plaque formation, and plaque rupture, as well as commonly used interventional strategies. Taken together, the combinatorial selection of suitable animal models readily facilitates reproducible and rigorous translational research in discovering and validating novel anti-atherosclerotic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Kamato
- Discovery Biology, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
- Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Iqra Ilyas
- Laboratory of Metabolics and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Suowen Xu
- Laboratory of Metabolics and Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Peter J. Little
- Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
- Sunshine Coast Health Institute and School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya, QLD 4575, Australia
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Duan Y, Gong K, Xu S, Zhang F, Meng X, Han J. Regulation of cholesterol homeostasis in health and diseases: from mechanisms to targeted therapeutics. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:265. [PMID: 35918332 PMCID: PMC9344793 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01125-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Disturbed cholesterol homeostasis plays critical roles in the development of multiple diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), neurodegenerative diseases and cancers, particularly the CVD in which the accumulation of lipids (mainly the cholesteryl esters) within macrophage/foam cells underneath the endothelial layer drives the formation of atherosclerotic lesions eventually. More and more studies have shown that lowering cholesterol level, especially low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, protects cardiovascular system and prevents cardiovascular events effectively. Maintaining cholesterol homeostasis is determined by cholesterol biosynthesis, uptake, efflux, transport, storage, utilization, and/or excretion. All the processes should be precisely controlled by the multiple regulatory pathways. Based on the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis, many interventions have been developed to lower cholesterol by inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis and uptake or enhancing cholesterol utilization and excretion. Herein, we summarize the historical review and research events, the current understandings of the molecular pathways playing key roles in regulating cholesterol homeostasis, and the cholesterol-lowering interventions in clinics or in preclinical studies as well as new cholesterol-lowering targets and their clinical advances. More importantly, we review and discuss the benefits of those interventions for the treatment of multiple diseases including atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, osteoporosis and virus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Duan
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Ke Gong
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Suowen Xu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Xianshe Meng
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Jihong Han
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China. .,College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
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6
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Deng S, Liu J, Niu C. HDL and Cholesterol Ester Transfer Protein (CETP). ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1377:13-26. [PMID: 35575918 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-1592-5_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) is important clinically and is one of the major targets in cardiovascular disease studies. With high conformational flexibility, its tunnel structure allows unforced movement of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), VLDLs, and LDLs. Research in reverse cholesterol transports (RCT) reveals that the regulation of CETP activity can change the concentration of cholesteryl esters (CE) in HDLs, VLDLs, and LDLs. These molecular insights demonstrate the mechanisms of CETP activities and manifest the correlation between CETP and HDL. However, animal and cell experiments focused on CETP give controversial results. Inhibiting CETP is found to be beneficial to anti-atherosclerosis in terms of increasing plasma HDL-C, while it is also claimed that CETP weakens atherosclerosis formation by promoting RCT. Currently, the CETP-related drugs are still immature. Research on CETP inhibitors is targeted at improving efficacy and minimizing adverse reactions. As for CETP agonists, research has proved that they also can be used to resist atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siying Deng
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, The Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Chenguang Niu
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Resources Translation, First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, China.
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7
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Hou Y, Zhang X, Sun X, Qin Q, Chen D, Jia M, Chen Y. Genetically modified rabbit models for cardiovascular medicine. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 922:174890. [PMID: 35300995 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.174890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Genetically modified (GM) rabbits are outstanding animal models for studying human genetic and acquired diseases. As such, GM rabbits that express human genes have been extensively used as models of cardiovascular disease. Rabbits are genetically modified via prokaryotic microinjection. Through this process, genes are randomly integrated into the rabbit genome. Moreover, gene targeting in embryonic stem (ES) cells is a powerful tool for understanding gene function. However, rabbits lack stable ES cell lines. Therefore, ES-dependent gene targeting is not possible in rabbits. Nevertheless, the RNA interference technique is rapidly becoming a useful experimental tool that enables researchers to knock down specific gene expression, which leads to the genetic modification of rabbits. Recently, with the emergence of new genetic technology, such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), major breakthroughs have been made in rabbit gene targeting. Using these novel genetic techniques, researchers have successfully modified knockout (KO) rabbit models. In this paper, we aimed to review the recent advances in GM technology in rabbits and highlight their application as models for cardiovascular medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Hou
- Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Xia Sun
- Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China; School of Basic and Medical Sciences, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Qiaohong Qin
- Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Di Chen
- Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China; School of Basic and Medical Sciences, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Min Jia
- Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China
| | - Yulong Chen
- Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710021, China.
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8
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Fan J, Watanabe T. Atherosclerosis: Known and unknown. Pathol Int 2022; 72:151-160. [PMID: 35076127 DOI: 10.1111/pin.13202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Atherosclerotic disease, such as myocardial infarction and stroke, is the number one killer worldwide. Atherosclerosis is considered to be caused by multiple factors, including genetic and environmental factors. In humans, it takes several decades until the clinical complications develop. There are many known risk factors for atherosclerosis, including hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes and smoking, which are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis; however, it is generally believed that atherosclerosis is vascular chronic inflammation initiated by interactions of these risk factors and arterial wall cells. In the past 30 years, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis have been investigated extensively using genetically modified animals, and lipid-reducing drugs, such as statins, have been demonstrated as the most effective for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. However, despite this progress, questions regarding the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis remain and there is a need to develop new animal models and novel therapeutics to treat patients who cannot be effectively treated by statins. In this review, we will focus on two topics of atherosclerosis, "pathology" and "pathogenesis," and discuss unanswered questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianglin Fan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Chuo, Japan.,School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Teruo Watanabe
- Division of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Fukuoka Wajiro Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
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9
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Tang X, Niimi M, Zhou H, Chen L, Chen Y, Yan H, Shiomi M, Fan J. Pathological Investigations of Intracranial Atherosclerosis Using Multiple Hypercholesterolemic Rabbit Models. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:834207. [PMID: 35712258 PMCID: PMC9196249 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.834207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS) is one of the most common causes of ischemic stroke, but there are few animal models that can recapitulate its pathological features. In this study, we examined ICAS pathological features and anatomic distributions using three types of hyperlipidemic rabbit models. We also investigated the effect of different lipoprotein profiles and hypertension on ICAS. MATERIALS AND METHODS We examined Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits, apoE knockout (KO) rabbits and wild-type rabbits (WT) fed a cholesterol diet, in addition to WT rabbits fed a standard diet as a control. The whole brain was dissected and embedded in paraffin. Serial sections were stained with either hematoxylin/eosin or elastica van Gieson, or immunohistochemically stained with monoclonal antibodies against macrophages and smooth muscle cells. We investigated (1) the presence of cerebral atherosclerosis; (2) the lesion locations in the cerebral arteries; (3) the degree of lumen stenosis; (4) pathological features and cellular components of the lesions in these rabbits; and (5) whether hypertension affects ICAS. RESULTS ICAS was detected in apoE and WHHL rabbits, but not in WT rabbits. Compared with apoE KO rabbits, WHHL rabbits had greater ICAS. The lesions of cerebral atherosclerosis were mainly distributed at the bifurcations of the posterior cerebral artery, basilar artery and vertebral artery, and they were basically characterized by smooth muscle cells and extracellular matrix with few macrophages. The extent of the ICAS in WHHL rabbits was significantly increased by hypertension. CONCLUSIONS ICAS was detected in WHHL and apoE KO rabbits, and occurred in specific locations in the cerebral arteries. Hypertension promotes the development of ICAS in the setting of hypercholesterolemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangming Tang
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Manabu Niimi
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Huanjin Zhou
- School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Yajie Chen
- School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Haizhao Yan
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell, Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Masashi Shiomi
- Institute for Experimental Animals, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Jianglin Fan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
- School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, China
- *Correspondence: Jianglin Fan,
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10
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CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of APOC3 stabilizes plasma lipids and inhibits atherosclerosis in rabbits. Lipids Health Dis 2021; 20:180. [PMID: 34922545 PMCID: PMC8684289 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-021-01605-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background High levels of apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) can lead to hypertriglyceridemia, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. We aim to create APOC3-knockout (KO) rabbits and explore the effects of APOC3 deletion on the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis. Methods An sgRNA anchored to exon 2 of APOC3 was designed to edit embryo genomes using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The founder rabbits were sequenced, and their lipid profile, inflammatory cytokines, and atherosclerotic plaques were analyzed. Results When given a normal chow (NC) diet, all APOC3-KO rabbits had 50% lower triglyceride (TG) levels than those of the matched age control group. Additionally, their plasma lipoprotein lipase increased. When fed a high-fat diet, APOC3 deficiency was observed to be more conducive to the maintenance of plasma TG, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and the inhibition of the inflammatory response and the protection against atherosclerosis in rabbits. Conclusion APOC3 deficiency can delay the formation of atherosclerosis-induced HFD in rabbits, indicating this is a novel therapeutic target to treat atherosclerosis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12944-021-01605-7.
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Siew WS, Tang YQ, Kong CK, Goh BH, Zacchigna S, Dua K, Chellappan DK, Duangjai A, Saokaew S, Phisalprapa P, Yap WH. Harnessing the Potential of CRISPR/Cas in Atherosclerosis: Disease Modeling and Therapeutic Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8422. [PMID: 34445123 PMCID: PMC8395110 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis represents one of the major causes of death globally. The high mortality rates and limitations of current therapeutic modalities have urged researchers to explore potential alternative therapies. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system is commonly deployed for investigating the genetic aspects of Atherosclerosis. Besides, advances in CRISPR/Cas system has led to extensive options for researchers to study the pathogenesis of this disease. The recent discovery of Cas9 variants, such as dCas9, Cas9n, and xCas9 have been established for various applications, including single base editing, regulation of gene expression, live-cell imaging, epigenetic modification, and genome landscaping. Meanwhile, other Cas proteins, such as Cas12 and Cas13, are gaining popularity for their applications in nucleic acid detection and single-base DNA/RNA modifications. To date, many studies have utilized the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate disease models of atherosclerosis and identify potential molecular targets that are associated with atherosclerosis. These studies provided proof-of-concept evidence which have established the feasibility of implementing the CRISPR/Cas system in correcting disease-causing alleles. The CRISPR/Cas system holds great potential to be developed as a targeted treatment for patients who are suffering from atherosclerosis. This review highlights the advances in CRISPR/Cas systems and their applications in establishing pathogenetic and therapeutic role of specific genes in atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Sheng Siew
- School of Biosciences, Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (W.S.S.); (Y.Q.T.)
| | - Yin Quan Tang
- School of Biosciences, Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (W.S.S.); (Y.Q.T.)
- Centre for Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology (CDDMP), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (FHMS), Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Chee Kei Kong
- Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia;
| | - Bey-Hing Goh
- Biofunctional Molecule Exploratory (BMEX) Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Malaysia;
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Serena Zacchigna
- Centre for Translational Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences and Cardiovascular Department, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina, Strada di Fiume 447, 34149 Trieste, Italy;
- International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia;
- Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Dinesh Kumar Chellappan
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University (IMU), Bukit Jalil 57000, Malaysia;
| | - Acharaporn Duangjai
- Unit of Excellence in Research and Product Development of Coffee, Division of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand; (A.D.); (S.S.)
- Center of Health Outcomes Research and Therapeutic Safety (Cohorts), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
- Unit of Excellence on Clinical Outcomes Research and IntegratioN (UNICORN), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Surasak Saokaew
- Unit of Excellence in Research and Product Development of Coffee, Division of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand; (A.D.); (S.S.)
- Center of Health Outcomes Research and Therapeutic Safety (Cohorts), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
- Unit of Excellence on Clinical Outcomes Research and IntegratioN (UNICORN), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
- Unit of Excellence on Herbal Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
- Department of Pharmaceutical Care, Division of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Pochamana Phisalprapa
- Department of Medicine, Division of Ambulatory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Wei Hsum Yap
- School of Biosciences, Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia; (W.S.S.); (Y.Q.T.)
- Centre for Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology (CDDMP), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (FHMS), Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
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12
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Martínez-Beamonte R, Sánchez-Marco J, Felices MJ, Barranquero C, Gascón S, Arnal C, Burillo JC, Lasheras R, Busto R, Lasunción MA, Rodríguez-Yoldi MJ, Osada J. Dietary squalene modifies plasma lipoproteins and hepatic cholesterol metabolism in rabbits. Food Funct 2021; 12:8141-8153. [PMID: 34291245 DOI: 10.1039/d0fo01836h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
To evaluate the effects of squalene, the main unsaponifiable component of virgin olive oil, on lipid metabolism, two groups of male New Zealand rabbits were fed a 1% sunflower oil-enriched regular diet or the same diet containing 0.5% squalene for 4 weeks. Plasma triglycerides, total- and HDL-cholesterol and their lipoproteins were assayed. Analyses of hepatic lipid droplets, triglycerides, total- and non-esterified cholesterol, squalene, protein and gene expression, and cholesterol precursors were carried out. In the jejunum, the squalene content and mRNA and protein APOB expressions were measured. Finally, we studied the effect of cholesterol precursors in AML12 cells. Squalene administration significantly increased plasma total cholesterol, mainly carried as non-esterified cholesterol in IDL and large LDL, and corresponded to an increased number of APOB100-containing particles without accumulation of triglycerides and decreased reactive oxygen species. Despite no significant changes in the APOB content in the jejunum, the latter displayed increased APOB mRNA and squalene levels. Increases in the amounts of non-esterified cholesterol, squalene, lanosterol, dihydrolanosterol, lathosterol, cholestanol, zymostenol, desmosterol and caspase 1 were also observed in the liver. Incubation of AML12 cells in the presence of lanosterol increased caspase 1. In conclusion, squalene administration in rabbits increases the number of modified APOB-containing lipoproteins, and hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis is linked to caspase 1 probably through lanosterol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Martínez-Beamonte
- CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
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13
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Santana KG, Righetti RF, Breda CNDS, Domínguez-Amorocho OA, Ramalho T, Dantas FEB, Nunes VS, Tibério IDFLC, Soriano FG, Câmara NOS, Quintão ECR, Cazita PM. Cholesterol-Ester Transfer Protein Alters M1 and M2 Macrophage Polarization and Worsens Experimental Elastase-Induced Pulmonary Emphysema. Front Immunol 2021; 12:684076. [PMID: 34367144 PMCID: PMC8334866 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.684076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol-ester transfer protein (CETP) plays a role in atherosclerosis, the inflammatory response to endotoxemia and in experimental and human sepsis. Functional alterations in lipoprotein (LP) metabolism and immune cell populations, including macrophages, occur during sepsis and may be related to comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Macrophages are significantly associated with pulmonary emphysema, and depending on the microenvironment, might exhibit an M1 or M2 phenotype. Macrophages derived from the peritoneum and bone marrow reveal CETP that contributes to its plasma concentration. Here, we evaluated the role of CETP in macrophage polarization and elastase-induced pulmonary emphysema (ELA) in human CETP-expressing transgenic (huCETP) (line 5203, C57BL6/J background) male mice and compared it to their wild type littermates. We showed that bone marrow-derived macrophages from huCETP mice reduce polarization toward the M1 phenotype, but with increased IL-10. Compared to WT, huCETP mice exposed to elastase showed worsened lung function with an increased mean linear intercept (Lm), reflecting airspace enlargement resulting from parenchymal destruction with increased expression of arginase-1 and IL-10, which are M2 markers. The cytokine profile revealed increased IL-6 in plasma and TNF, and IL-10 in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), corroborating with the lung immunohistochemistry in the huCETP-ELA group compared to WT-ELA. Elastase treatment in the huCETP group increased VLDL-C and reduced HDL-C. Elastase-induced pulmonary emphysema in huCETP mice promotes lung M2-like phenotype with a deleterious effect in experimental COPD, corroborating the in vitro result in which CETP promoted M2 macrophage polarization. Our results suggest that CETP is associated with inflammatory response and influences the role of macrophages in COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Gomes Santana
- Laboratorio de Lipides, LIM-10, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renato Fraga Righetti
- Laboratório de Terapêutica Experimental I (LIM-20), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Naffah de Souza Breda
- Transplantation Immunobiology Lab, Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Omar Alberto Domínguez-Amorocho
- Transplantation Immunobiology Lab, Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Theresa Ramalho
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Francisca Elda B Dantas
- Laboratorio de Lipides, LIM-10, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Valéria Sutti Nunes
- Laboratorio de Lipides, LIM-10, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Francisco Garcia Soriano
- Laboratório de Emergências Clínicas (LIM-51), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Niels O S Câmara
- Transplantation Immunobiology Lab, Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eder Carlos Rocha Quintão
- Laboratorio de Lipides, LIM-10, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patrícia M Cazita
- Laboratorio de Lipides, LIM-10, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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14
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Lu H, Zhang J, Chen YE, Garcia-Barrio MT. Integration of Transformative Platforms for the Discovery of Causative Genes in Cardiovascular Diseases. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 2021; 35:637-654. [PMID: 33856594 DOI: 10.1007/s10557-021-07175-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are powerful epidemiological tools to find genes and variants associated with cardiovascular diseases while follow-up biological studies allow to better understand the etiology and mechanisms of disease and assign causality. Improved methodologies and reduced costs have allowed wider use of bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, human-induced pluripotent stem cells, organoids, metabolomics, epigenomics, and novel animal models in conjunction with GWAS. In this review, we feature recent advancements relevant to cardiovascular diseases arising from the integration of genetic findings with multiple enabling technologies within multidisciplinary teams to highlight the solidifying transformative potential of this approach. Well-designed workflows integrating different platforms are greatly improving and accelerating the unraveling and understanding of complex disease processes while promoting an effective way to find better drug targets, improve drug design and repurposing, and provide insight towards a more personalized clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haocheng Lu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2800, USA
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2800, USA.,Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Y Eugene Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2800, USA. .,Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Minerva T Garcia-Barrio
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2800, USA.
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15
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Gülcan HO, Orhan IE. General Perspectives for the Treatment of Atherosclerosis. LETT DRUG DES DISCOV 2021. [DOI: 10.2174/1570180817999201016154400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
:
Atherosclerosis, a cardiovascular disease, is at the top of the list among the diseases leading
to death. Although the biochemical and pathophysiological cascades involved within the development
of atherosclerosis have been identified clearly, its nature is quite complex to be treated with
a single agent targeting a pathway. Therefore, many natural and synthetic compounds have been
suggested for the treatment of the disease. The majority of the drugs employed target one of the
single components of the pathological outcomes, resulting in many times less effective and longterm
treatments. In most cases, treatment options prevent further worsening of the symptoms rather
than a radical treatment. Consequently, the current review has been prepared to focus on the validated
and non-validated targets of atherosclerosis as well as the alternative treatment options such
as hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, acyl-CoA cholesterol
acyl transferase (ACAT) inhibitors, lipoprotein lipase stimulants, bile acid sequestrants, and some
antioxidants. Related to the topic, both synthetic compounds designed employing medicinal chemistry
skills and natural molecules becoming more popular in drug development are scrutinized in this
mini review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayrettin Ozan Gülcan
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, TR. North Cyprus, via Mersin 10,Turkey
| | - Ilkay Erdogan Orhan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Ankara- 06300,Turkey
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16
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Kotlyarov SN, Kotlyarova AA. Role of lipid metabolism and systemic inflammation in the development of atherosclerosis in animal models. I.P. PAVLOV RUSSIAN MEDICAL BIOLOGICAL HERALD 2021. [DOI: 10.23888/pavlovj2021291134-146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Systemic inflammation makes a significant contribution to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and has been the subject of numerous studies. Works aiming to analyze the mechanisms of atherosclerosis development often include experiments on animals. A primary task of such research is the characterization, justification, and selection of an adequate model.
Aim. To evaluate the peculiarities of lipid metabolism and systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the development of atherosclerosis in animal models.
Materials and Methods. Analyses of cross-links between species-specific peculiarities of lipid metabolism and the immune response, as well as a bioinformatic analysis of differences in Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in mice, rats, and rabbits in comparison with its human homolog, were carried out. A search for and analysis of the amino acid sequences of human, mouse, rat, and rabbit TLR4 was performed in the International database GenBank of National Center of Biotechnical Information and in The Universal Protein Resource (UniProt) database. Multiple alignments of the TLR4 amino acid sequences were implemented in the Clustal Omega program, version 1.2.4. Reconstruction and visualization of molecular phylogenetic trees were performed using the MEGA7 program according to the Neighbor-Joining and Maximum Parsimony methods.
Results. Species-specific differences of the peculiarities of lipid metabolism and the innate immune response in humans, mice, and rabbits were shown that must be taken into account in analyses of study results.
Conclusion.Disorders in lipid metabolism and systemic inflammation mediated by the innate immune system participating in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in COPD possess species-specific differences that should be taken into account in analyses of study results.
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17
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Fan J, Wang Y, Chen YE. Genetically Modified Rabbits for Cardiovascular Research. Front Genet 2021; 12:614379. [PMID: 33603774 PMCID: PMC7885269 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.614379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Rabbits are one of the most used experimental animals for investigating the mechanisms of human cardiovascular disease and lipid metabolism because they are phylogenetically closer to human than rodents (mice and rats). Cholesterol-fed wild-type rabbits were first used to study human atherosclerosis more than 100 years ago and are still playing an important role in cardiovascular research. Furthermore, transgenic rabbits generated by pronuclear microinjection provided another means to investigate many gene functions associated with human disease. Because of the lack of both rabbit embryonic stem cells and the genome information, for a long time, it has been a dream for scientists to obtain knockout rabbits generated by homologous recombination-based genomic manipulation as in mice. This obstacle has greatly hampered using genetically modified rabbits to disclose the molecular mechanisms of many human diseases. The advent of genome editing technologies has dramatically extended the applications of experimental animals including rabbits. In this review, we will update genetically modified rabbits, including transgenic, knock-out, and knock-in rabbits during the past decades regarding their use in cardiovascular research and point out the perspectives in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianglin Fan
- Department of Pathology, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.,School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Yanli Wang
- Department of Pathology, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Y Eugene Chen
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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18
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Xu J, Zhang J, Yang D, Song J, Pallas B, Zhang C, Hu J, Peng X, Christensen ND, Han R, Chen YE. Gene Editing in Rabbits: Unique Opportunities for Translational Biomedical Research. Front Genet 2021; 12:642444. [PMID: 33584832 PMCID: PMC7876448 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.642444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rabbit is a classic animal model for biomedical research, but the production of gene targeted transgenic rabbits had been extremely challenging until the recent advent of gene editing tools. More than fifty gene knockout or knock-in rabbit models have been reported in the past decade. Gene edited (GE) rabbit models, compared to their counterpart mouse models, may offer unique opportunities in translational biomedical research attributed primarily to their relatively large size and long lifespan. More importantly, GE rabbit models have been found to mimic several disease pathologies better than their mouse counterparts particularly in fields focused on genetically inherited diseases, cardiovascular diseases, ocular diseases, and others. In this review we present selected examples of research areas where GE rabbit models are expected to make immediate contributions to the understanding of the pathophysiology of human disease, and support the development of novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xu
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Dongshan Yang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jun Song
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Brooke Pallas
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Chen Zhang
- Biomedical Sciences and Biophysics Graduate Program, Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Jiafen Hu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn State Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Xuwen Peng
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Neil D Christensen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn State Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Renzhi Han
- Biomedical Sciences and Biophysics Graduate Program, Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Y Eugene Chen
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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19
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Song J, Zhang J, Xu J, Garcia-Barrio M, Chen YE, Yang D. Genome engineering technologies in rabbits. J Biomed Res 2021; 35:135-147. [PMID: 32934190 PMCID: PMC8038526 DOI: 10.7555/jbr.34.20190133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The rabbit has been recognized as a valuable model in various biomedical and biological research fields because of its intermediate size and phylogenetic proximity to primates. However, the technology for precise genome manipulations in rabbit has been stalled for decades, severely limiting its applications in biomedical research. Novel genome editing technologies, especially CRISPR/Cas9, have remarkably enhanced precise genome manipulation in rabbits, and shown their superiority and promise for generating rabbit models of human genetic diseases. In this review, we summarize the brief history of transgenic rabbit technology and the development of novel genome editing technologies in rabbits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Song
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Minerva Garcia-Barrio
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Y Eugene Chen
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Dongshan Yang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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20
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Abstract
Transgenic rabbits have contributed to the progress of biomedical science as human disease models because of their unique features, such as the lipid metabolism system similar to humans and medium body size that facilitates handling and experimental manipulation. In fact, many useful transgenic rabbits have been generated and used in research fields such as lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis, cardiac failure, immunology, and oncogenesis. However, there have been long-term problems, namely that the transgenic efficiency when using pronuclear microinjection is low compared with transgenic mice and production of knockout rabbits is impossible owing to the lack of embryonic stem cells for gene targeting in rabbits. Despite these limitations, the emergence of novel genome editing technology has changed the production of genetically modified animals including the rabbit. We are finally able to produce both transgenic and knockout rabbit models to analyze gain- and loss-of-functions of specific genes. It is expected that the use of genetically modified rabbits will extend to various research fields. In this review, we describe the unique features of rabbits as laboratory animals, the current status of their development and use, and future perspectives of transgenic rabbit models for human diseases.
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21
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Yan H, Niimi M, Wang C, Chen Y, Zhou H, Matsuhisa F, Nishijima K, Kitajima S, Zhang B, Yokomichi H, Nakajima K, Murakami M, Zhang J, Chen YE, Fan J. Endothelial Lipase Exerts its Anti-Atherogenic Effect through Increased Catabolism of β-VLDLs. J Atheroscler Thromb 2020; 28:157-168. [PMID: 32448826 PMCID: PMC7957034 DOI: 10.5551/jat.55244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: Endothelial lipase (EL) plays an important role in lipoprotein metabolism. Our recent study showed that increased hepatic expression of EL attenuates diet-induced hypercholesterolemia, thus subsequently reducing atherosclerosis in transgenic (Tg) rabbits. However, it is yet to be determined whether increased EL activity itself per se is anti-atherogenic or whether the anti-atherogenic effect of EL is exclusively dependent on its lipid-lowering effect. Methods: To determine the mechanisms underlying EL-mediated anti-atherogenic effect, we fed Tg and non-Tg rabbits diets containing different amounts of cholesterol to make their plasma cholesterol levels similarly high. Sixteen weeks later, we examined their lipoprotein profiles and compared their susceptibility to atherosclerosis. Results: With Tg and non-Tg rabbits having hypercholesterolemia, the plasma lipids and lipoprotein profiles were observed to be similar, while pathological examinations revealed that lesion areas of both aortic and coronary atherosclerosis of Tg rabbits were not significantly different from non-Tg rabbits. Moreover, Tg rabbits exhibited faster clearance of DiI-labeled β-VLDLs than non-Tg rabbits. Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that the enhancement of β-VLDL catabolism is the major mechanism for atheroprotective effects of EL in Tg rabbits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haizhao Yan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi
| | - Manabu Niimi
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi
| | - Chuan Wang
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine
| | - Yajie Chen
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi.,School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University
| | - Huanjin Zhou
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi
| | | | - Kazutoshi Nishijima
- Animal Research Laboratory, Bioscience Education-Research Support Center, Akita University
| | - Shuji Kitajima
- Analytical Research Center for Experimental Sciences, Saga University
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, Fukuoka University School of Medicine
| | | | - Katsuyuki Nakajima
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University
| | - Masami Murakami
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center
| | - Y Eugene Chen
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center
| | - Jianglin Fan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi.,School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University
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22
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Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease and the predominant cause of heart attack and ischemic stroke. Despite the well-known sexual dimorphism in the incidence and complications of atherosclerosis, there are relatively limited data in the clinical and preclinical literature to rigorously address mechanisms underlying sex as a biological variable in atherosclerosis. In multiple histological and imaging studies, overall plaque burden and markers of inflammation appear to be greater in men than women and are predictive of cardiovascular events. However, while younger women are relatively protected from cardiovascular disease, by the seventh decade, the incidence of myocardial infarction in women ultimately surpasses that of men, suggesting an interaction between sex and age. Most preclinical studies in animal atherosclerosis models do not examine both sexes, and even in those that do, well-powered direct statistical comparisons for sex as an independent variable remain rare. This article reviews the available data. Overall, male animals appear to have more inflamed yet smaller plaques compared to female animals. Plaque inflammation is often used as a surrogate end point for plaque vulnerability in animals. The available data support the notion that rather than plaque size, plaque inflammation may be more relevant in assessing sex-specific mechanisms since the findings correlate with the sex difference in ischemic events and mortality and thus may be more reflective of the human condition. Overall, the number of preclinical studies directly comparing plaque inflammation between the sexes is extremely limited relative to the vast literature exploring atherosclerosis mechanisms. Failure to include both sexes and to address age in mechanistic atherosclerosis studies are missed opportunities to uncover underlying sex-specific mechanisms. Understanding the mechanisms driving sex as a biological variable in atherosclerotic disease is critical to future precision medicine strategies to mitigate what is still the leading cause of death of men and women worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Man
- From the Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA (J.J.M., I.Z.J.).,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (J.J.M.)
| | - Joshua A Beckman
- Cardiovascular Division, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN (J.A.B.)
| | - Iris Z Jaffe
- From the Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA (J.J.M., I.Z.J.)
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23
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Chen Y, Waqar AB, Nishijima K, Ning B, Kitajima S, Matsuhisa F, Chen L, Liu E, Koike T, Yu Y, Zhang J, Chen YE, Sun H, Liang J, Fan J. Macrophage-derived MMP-9 enhances the progression of atherosclerotic lesions and vascular calcification in transgenic rabbits. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:4261-4274. [PMID: 32126159 PMCID: PMC7171347 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9), or gelatinase B, has been hypothesized to be involved in the progression of atherosclerosis. In the arterial wall, accumulated macrophages secrete considerable amounts of MMP‐9 but its pathophysiological functions in atherosclerosis have not been fully elucidated. To examine the hypothesis that macrophage‐derived MMP‐9 may affect atherosclerosis, we created MMP‐9 transgenic (Tg) rabbits to overexpress the rabbit MMP‐9 gene under the control of the scavenger receptor A enhancer/promoter and examined their susceptibility to cholesterol diet‐induced atherosclerosis. Tg rabbits along with non‐Tg rabbits were fed a cholesterol diet for 16 and 28 weeks, and their aortic and coronary atherosclerosis was compared. Gross aortic lesion areas were significantly increased in female Tg rabbits at 28 weeks; however, pathological examination revealed that all the lesions of Tg rabbits fed a cholesterol diet for either 16 or 28 weeks were characterized by increased monocyte/macrophage accumulation and prominent lipid core formation compared with those of non‐Tg rabbits. Macrophages isolated from Tg rabbits exhibited higher infiltrative activity towards a chemoattractant, MCP‐1 in vitro and augmented capability of hydrolysing extracellular matrix in granulomatous tissue. Surprisingly, the lesions of Tg rabbits showed more advanced lesions with remarkable calcification in both aortas and coronary arteries. In conclusion, macrophage‐derived MMP‐9 facilitates the infiltration of monocyte/macrophages into the lesions thereby enhancing the progression of atherosclerosis. Increased accumulation of lesional macrophages may promote vascular calcification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Chen
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Ahmed Bilal Waqar
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Kazutoshi Nishijima
- Bioscience Education-Research Support Center, Akita University, Akita, Japan
| | - Bo Ning
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.,School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Shuji Kitajima
- Analytical Research Center for Experimental Sciences, Saga University, Saga, Japan
| | - Fumikazu Matsuhisa
- Analytical Research Center for Experimental Sciences, Saga University, Saga, Japan
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Enqi Liu
- Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease and Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an, China
| | - Tomonari Koike
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ying Yu
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yuqing Eugene Chen
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Huijun Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Jingyan Liang
- Research Center for Vascular Biology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jianglin Fan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.,School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, China
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24
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Wu C, Daugherty A, Lu HS. Updates on Approaches for Studying Atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2020; 39:e108-e117. [PMID: 30917052 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.119.312001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Congqing Wu
- From the Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (C.W., A.D., H.S.L.), University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | - Alan Daugherty
- From the Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (C.W., A.D., H.S.L.), University of Kentucky, Lexington.,Department of Physiology (A.D., H.S.L.), University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | - Hong S Lu
- From the Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (C.W., A.D., H.S.L.), University of Kentucky, Lexington.,Department of Physiology (A.D., H.S.L.), University of Kentucky, Lexington
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25
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Ye F, Wang Y, Wu C, Howatt DA, Wu CH, Balakrishnan A, Mullick AE, Graham MJ, Danser AHJ, Wang J, Daugherty A, Lu HS. Angiotensinogen and Megalin Interactions Contribute to Atherosclerosis-Brief Report. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2019; 39:150-155. [PMID: 30567480 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.118.311817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Objective- AGT (Angiotensinogen) is the unique precursor of the renin-angiotensin system that is sequentially cleaved by renin and ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) to produce Ang II (angiotensin II). In this study, we determined how these renin-angiotensin components interact with megalin in kidney to promote atherosclerosis. Approach and Results- AGT, renin, ACE, and megalin were present in the renal proximal convoluted tubules of wild-type mice. Hepatocyte-specific AGT deficiency abolished AGT protein accumulation in proximal tubules and diminished Ang II concentrations in kidney, while renin was increased. Megalin was most abundant in kidney and exclusively present on the apical side of proximal tubules. Inhibition of megalin by antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) led to ablation of AGT and renin proteins in proximal tubules, while leading to striking increases of urine AGT and renin concentrations, and 70% reduction of renal Ang II concentrations. However, plasma Ang II concentrations were unaffected. To determine whether AGT and megalin interaction contributes to atherosclerosis, we used both male and female low-density lipoprotein receptor-/- mice fed a saturated fat-enriched diet and administered vehicles (PBS or control ASO) or megalin ASO. Inhibition of megalin did not affect plasma cholesterol concentrations, but profoundly reduced atherosclerotic lesion size in both male and female mice. Conclusions- These results reveal a regulatory role of megalin in the intrarenal renin-angiotensin homeostasis and atherogenesis, positing renal Ang II to be an important contributor to atherosclerosis that is mediated through AGT and megalin interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiming Ye
- From the Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China (F.Y., Y.W., J.W.).,Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (F.Y., Y.W., C.W., D.A.H., A.B., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | - Ya Wang
- From the Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China (F.Y., Y.W., J.W.).,Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (F.Y., Y.W., C.W., D.A.H., A.B., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | - Congqing Wu
- Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (F.Y., Y.W., C.W., D.A.H., A.B., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | - Deborah A Howatt
- Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (F.Y., Y.W., C.W., D.A.H., A.B., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | - Chia-Hua Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences (C.-H.W., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | - Anju Balakrishnan
- Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (F.Y., Y.W., C.W., D.A.H., A.B., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | | | - Mark J Graham
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA (A.E.M., M.J.G.)
| | | | - Jian'an Wang
- From the Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China (F.Y., Y.W., J.W.)
| | - Alan Daugherty
- Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (F.Y., Y.W., C.W., D.A.H., A.B., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington.,Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences (C.-H.W., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington.,Department of Physiology (A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | - Hong S Lu
- Saha Cardiovascular Research Center (F.Y., Y.W., C.W., D.A.H., A.B., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington.,Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences (C.-H.W., A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington.,Department of Physiology (A.D., H.S.L.) University of Kentucky, Lexington
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26
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Lu HS, Schmidt AM, Hegele RA, Mackman N, Rader DJ, Weber C, Daugherty A. Reporting Sex and Sex Differences in Preclinical Studies. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2019; 38:e171-e184. [PMID: 30354222 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.118.311717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hong S Lu
- From the Department of Physiology, Saha Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington (H.S.L., A.D.)
| | - Ann Marie Schmidt
- Diabetes Research Program, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY (A.M.S.)
| | - Robert A Hegele
- Department of Medicine and Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada (R.A.H.)
| | - Nigel Mackman
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (N.M.)
| | - Daniel J Rader
- Department of Medicine (D.J.R.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.,Department of Genetics (D.J.R.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Christian Weber
- Department of Medicine, Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany (C.W.).,German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany (C.W.)
| | - Alan Daugherty
- From the Department of Physiology, Saha Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington (H.S.L., A.D.)
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27
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Palasubramaniam J, Wang X, Peter K. Myocardial Infarction-From Atherosclerosis to Thrombosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2019; 39:e176-e185. [PMID: 31339782 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.119.312578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jathushan Palasubramaniam
- From the Atherothrombosis and Vascular Biology Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia (J.P., X.W., K.P.).,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (J.P., X.W., K.P.).,Department of Cardiology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia (J.P., K.P.)
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- From the Atherothrombosis and Vascular Biology Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia (J.P., X.W., K.P.).,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (J.P., X.W., K.P.)
| | - Karlheinz Peter
- From the Atherothrombosis and Vascular Biology Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia (J.P., X.W., K.P.).,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (J.P., X.W., K.P.).,Department of Cardiology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia (J.P., K.P.)
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28
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Wang R, Liu R, Li L, Liu B, Bai L, Wang W, Zhao S, Liu E. Fasting is not required for measuring plasma lipid levels in rabbits. Lab Anim 2019; 54:272-280. [PMID: 31216952 DOI: 10.1177/0023677219855102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Plasma lipid and glucose levels are important parameters for evaluating the onset and development of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. In clinical and experimental studies of humans or mice, fasting is often required before testing plasma lipid and glucose levels. The rabbit is a valuable animal model for cardiovascular disease research. However, whether fasting is necessary for measuring plasma lipid and glucose levels in rabbits remains unclear. In the current study, 12 healthy Japanese white rabbits (males weighing 2.5-3.0 kg) were randomly divided into a chow diet group (n = 6) and a high cholesterol diet group (n = 6). They were fed either a standard chow diet or a chow diet supplemented with 0.5% cholesterol and 3% corn oil for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, the plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and glucose were measured before and after various fasting durations (8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 h). The results showed that there were no significant differences in lipid levels between the fasting and non-fasting samples, whereas glucose levels were lower after 8 h of fasting than in the absence of fasting. Moreover, the glucose levels were restored to normal after 8 h of refeeding. These results indicate that fasting does not affect plasma lipid values in rabbits but that fasting is important for determining the glucose level in rabbits. These findings may be helpful for future rabbit experiments and beneficial for animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Wang
- Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ruihan Liu
- Zhengzhou Central Hospital affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Lu Li
- Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Baoning Liu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Liang Bai
- Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Weirong Wang
- Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Sihai Zhao
- Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Enqi Liu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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29
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Mage RG, Esteves PJ, Rader C. Rabbit models of human diseases for diagnostics and therapeutics development. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 92:99-104. [PMID: 30339876 PMCID: PMC6364550 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This review presents some examples of studies using the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that have led to, and continue to, contribute to advancement of understanding of human diseases as well as therapeutics development. In addition, we tabulate FDA-approved rabbit polyclonal and rabbit monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that are used for diagnostic applications, as well as an overview of some "humanized" or otherwise altered rabbit mAbs that are in initial phase I, II, or advanced to phase III clinical trials. Information about endogenous retriviruses learned from studies of rabbits and other members of the order Lagomorpha are summarized as this knowledge now applies to new therapeutics being developed for several human diseases including Multiple Sclerosis, Type 1 Diabetes and Cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose G Mage
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, NIAID, NIH, Bldg 10 11N311, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892-1892, USA.
| | - Pedro J Esteves
- CIBIO, InBIO, Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada em Ciências e Tecnologias da Saúde (CESPU), Gandra, Portugal
| | - Christoph Rader
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
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30
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He Y, Kothari V, Bornfeldt KE. High-Density Lipoprotein Function in Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Mellitus. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2019; 38:e10-e16. [PMID: 29367232 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.117.310222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yi He
- From the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine (Y.H., V.K., K.E.B.) and Department of Pathology (K.E.B.), University of Washington Medicine Diabetes Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Vishal Kothari
- From the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine (Y.H., V.K., K.E.B.) and Department of Pathology (K.E.B.), University of Washington Medicine Diabetes Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Karin E Bornfeldt
- From the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine (Y.H., V.K., K.E.B.) and Department of Pathology (K.E.B.), University of Washington Medicine Diabetes Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.
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31
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Matsuura Y, Kanter JE, Bornfeldt KE. Highlighting Residual Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2019; 39:e1-e9. [PMID: 30586334 PMCID: PMC6310032 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.118.311999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yunosuke Matsuura
- From the Department of Medicine, University of Washington Medicine Diabetes Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Y.M., J.E.K., K.E.B.)
| | - Jenny E Kanter
- From the Department of Medicine, University of Washington Medicine Diabetes Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Y.M., J.E.K., K.E.B.)
| | - Karin E Bornfeldt
- From the Department of Medicine, University of Washington Medicine Diabetes Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (Y.M., J.E.K., K.E.B.)
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington Medicine Diabetes Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle (K.E.B.)
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32
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Yu XH, Zhang DW, Zheng XL, Tang CK. Cholesterol transport system: An integrated cholesterol transport model involved in atherosclerosis. Prog Lipid Res 2018; 73:65-91. [PMID: 30528667 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Atherosclerosis, the pathological basis of most cardiovascular disease (CVD), is closely associated with cholesterol accumulation in the arterial intima. Excessive cholesterol is removed by the reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) pathway, representing a major antiatherogenic mechanism. In addition to the RCT, other pathways are required for maintaining the whole-body cholesterol homeostasis. Thus, we propose a working model of integrated cholesterol transport, termed the cholesterol transport system (CTS), to describe body cholesterol metabolism. The novel model not only involves the classical view of RCT but also contains other steps, such as cholesterol absorption in the small intestine, low-density lipoprotein uptake by the liver, and transintestinal cholesterol excretion. Extensive studies have shown that dysfunctional CTS is one of the major causes for hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. Currently, several drugs are available to improve the CTS efficiently. There are also several therapeutic approaches that have entered into clinical trials and shown considerable promise for decreasing the risk of CVD. In recent years, a variety of novel findings reveal the molecular mechanisms for the CTS and its role in the development of atherosclerosis, thereby providing novel insights into the understanding of whole-body cholesterol transport and metabolism. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in this area with an emphasis on the therapeutic potential of targeting the CTS in CVD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Hua Yu
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Key Laboratory for Arteriosclerology of Hunan Province, Medical Research Experiment Center, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Da-Wei Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics and Group on the Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xi-Long Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Center, 3330 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Chao-Ke Tang
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Key Laboratory for Arteriosclerology of Hunan Province, Medical Research Experiment Center, Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China.
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33
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Fan J, Chen Y, Yan H, Liu B, Wang Y, Zhang J, Chen YE, Liu E, Liang J. Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Hypercholesterolemic Rabbits: Progress and Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3512. [PMID: 30413026 PMCID: PMC6274909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are one of the most widely used animal models for the study of human lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis because they are more sensitive to a cholesterol diet than other experimental animals such as rodents. Currently, two hypercholesterolemic rabbit models are frequently used for atherosclerosis studies. One is a cholesterol-fed wild-type rabbit and the other is the Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbit, which is genetically deficient in low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor function. Wild-type rabbits can be easily induced to develop severe hypercholesterolemia with a cholesterol-rich diet due to the marked increase in hepatically and intestinally derived remnant lipoproteins, called β-very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), which are rich in cholesteryl esters. WHHL rabbits are characterized by elevated plasma LDL levels on a standard chow diet, which resembles human familial hypercholesterolemia. Therefore, both rabbit models develop aortic and coronary atherosclerosis, but the elevated plasma cholesterol levels are caused by completely different mechanisms. In addition, cholesterol-fed rabbits but not WHHL rabbits exhibit different degrees of hepatosteatosis. Recently, we along with others have shown that there are many differentially expressed genes in the atherosclerotic lesions and livers of cholesterol-fed rabbits that are either significantly up- or down-regulated, compared with those in normal rabbits, including genes involved in the regulation of inflammation and lipid metabolism. Therefore, dietary cholesterol plays an important role not only in hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis but also in hepatosteatosis. In this review, we make an overview of the recent progress in genomic and transcriptomic analyses of hypercholesterolemic rabbits. These transcriptomic profiling data should provide novel insight into the relationship between hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis or hepatic dysfunction caused by dietary cholesterol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianglin Fan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan.
- Department of Pathology, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710021, China.
| | - Yajie Chen
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan.
| | - Haizhao Yan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan.
| | - Baoning Liu
- Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease and Laboratory Animal Center, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Yanli Wang
- Department of Pathology, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710021, China.
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Y Eugene Chen
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Enqi Liu
- Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease and Laboratory Animal Center, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Jingyan Liang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225001, China.
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225001, China.
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34
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline S Dron
- From the Department of Biochemistry (J.S.D., J.L., R.A.H.), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute (J.S.D., J.L., R.A.H.), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Julieta Lazarte
- From the Department of Biochemistry (J.S.D., J.L., R.A.H.), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute (J.S.D., J.L., R.A.H.), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine (J.L., R.A.H.), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Robert A Hegele
- From the Department of Biochemistry (J.S.D., J.L., R.A.H.), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute (J.S.D., J.L., R.A.H.), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine (J.L., R.A.H.), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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35
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Nour OAA, Shehatou GSG, Rahim MA, El-Awady MS, Suddek GM. Cinnamaldehyde exerts vasculoprotective effects in hypercholestrolemic rabbits. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2018; 391:1203-1219. [PMID: 30058017 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-018-1547-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The effects of cinnamaldehyde (CIN), a commonly consumed food flavor, against high-cholesterol diet (HCD)-induced vascular damage in rabbits were evaluated. Male New Zealand rabbits (n = 24) were allocated to four groups at random: control, fed with standard rabbit chow; CIN, fed with standard diet and administered CIN; HCD, fed with 1% cholesterol-enriched diet; and HCD-CIN, fed with HCD and treated with CIN. CIN was orally given at a dose of (10 mg/kg/day) concomitantly with each diet type from day 1 until the termination of the experimental protocol (4 weeks). HCD elicited significant elevations in serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), and high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C and LDL-C, respectively) compared with control rabbits. Moreover, aortic levels of nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) and antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly lower, while aortic levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were significantly higher, in HCD-fed rabbits relative to control animals. CIN administration mitigated or completely reversed HCD-induced metabolic alterations, vascular oxidative stress, and inflammation. Moreover, CIN ameliorated HCD-induced vascular functional and structural irregularities. Aortic rings from HCD-CIN group showed improved relaxation to acetylcholine compared to aortas from HCD group. Moreover, CIN decreased atherosclerotic lipid deposition and intima/media (I/M) ratio of HCD aortas. CIN-mediated effects might be related to its ability to attenuate the elevated aortic mRNA expression of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and MPO in HCD group. Interestingly, the vasculoprotective effects of CIN treatment in the current study do not seem to be mediated via Nrf2-dependent mechanisms. In conclusion, CIN may mitigate the development of atherosclerosis in hypercholestrolemic rabbits via cholesterol-lowering, antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omnia A A Nour
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - George S G Shehatou
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt.
| | - Mona Abdel Rahim
- Urology and Nephrology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Mohammed S El-Awady
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Ghada M Suddek
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
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Fan J, Chen Y, Yan H, Niimi M, Wang Y, Liang J. Principles and Applications of Rabbit Models for Atherosclerosis Research. J Atheroscler Thromb 2018; 25:213-220. [PMID: 29046488 PMCID: PMC5868506 DOI: 10.5551/jat.rv17018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Rabbits are one of the most used experimental animals for biomedical research, particularly as a bioreactor for the production of antibodies. However, many unique features of the rabbit have also made it as an excellent species for examining a number of aspects of human diseases such as atherosclerosis. Rabbits are phylogenetically closer to humans than rodents, in addition to their relatively proper size, tame disposition, and ease of use and maintenance in the laboratory facility. Due to their short life spans, short gestation periods, high numbers of progeny, low cost (compared with other large animals) and availability of genomics and proteomics, rabbits usually serve to bridge the gap between smaller rodents (mice and rats) and larger animals, such as dogs, pigs and monkeys, and play an important role in many translational research activities such as pre-clinical testing of drugs and diagnostic methods for patients. The principle of using rabbits rather than other animals as an experimental model is very simple: rabbits should be used for research, such as translational research, that is difficult to accomplish with other species. Recently, rabbit genome sequencing and transcriptomic profiling of atherosclerosis have been successfully completed, which has paved a new way for researchers to use this model in the future. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent progress using rabbits with specific reference to their usefulness for studying human atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianglin Fan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Yajie Chen
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Haizhao Yan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Manabu Niimi
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Yanli Wang
- Department of Pathology, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingyan Liang
- Research Center for Vascular Biology, Yangzhou University School of Medicine, Yangzhou, China
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Laminar Flow Attenuates Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Expression in Endothelial Cells. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2360. [PMID: 29403061 PMCID: PMC5799263 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20885-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a non-canonical cytokine that is involved in multiple inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis. High MIF expression found in leukocytes which facilitates the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. However, little is known about biomechanical forces in the induction of MIF in endothelial cells (ECs). Here, we show that laminar shear stress (LS) inhibits the expression of MIF in ECs. By profiling the whole transcriptome of human coronary artery ECs under different shear stress, we found that athero-protective LS attenuates the expression of MIF whereas pro-atherosclerotic oscillatory shear stress (OS) significantly increased the expression of MIF. En face staining of rabbit aorta revealed high MIF immunoreactivity in lesser curvature as well as arterial bifurcation areas where OS is predominant. Mechanistically, we found that Krüpple like factor 2 (KLF2) is required for inhibition of MIF expression in ECs in the context of shear stress. Knockdown of KLF2 abolishes LS-dependent MIF inhibition while overexpression of KLF2 significantly attenuated MIF expression. Overall, the present work showed that MIF is a shear stress-sensitive cytokine and is transcriptionally regulated by KLF2, suggesting that LS exerts its athero-protective effect in part by directly inhibiting pro-inflammatory MIF expression.
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Vitali C, Khetarpal SA, Rader DJ. HDL Cholesterol Metabolism and the Risk of CHD: New Insights from Human Genetics. Curr Cardiol Rep 2017; 19:132. [PMID: 29103089 DOI: 10.1007/s11886-017-0940-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the blood (HDL-C) represent one of the strongest epidemiological surrogates for protection against coronary heart disease (CHD), but recent human genetic and pharmacological intervention studies have raised controversy about the causality of this relationship. Here, we review recent discoveries from human genome studies using new analytic tools as well as relevant animal studies that have both addressed, and in some cases, fueled this controversy. RECENT FINDINGS Methodologic developments in genotyping and sequencing, such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), exome sequencing, and exome array genotyping, have been applied to the study of HDL-C and risk of CHD in large, multi-ethnic populations. Some of these efforts focused on population-wide variation in common variants have uncovered new polymorphisms at novel loci associated with HDL-C and, in some cases, CHD risk. Other efforts have discovered loss-of-function variants for the first time in genes previously implicated in HDL metabolism through common variant studies or animal models. These studies have allowed the genetic relationship between these pathways, HDL-C and CHD to be explored in humans for the first time through analysis tools such as Mendelian randomization. We explore these discoveries for selected key HDL-C genes CETP, LCAT, LIPG, SCARB1, and novel loci implicated from GWAS including GALNT2, KLF14, and TTC39B. Recent human genetics findings have identified new nodes regulating HDL metabolism while reshaping our current understanding of known candidate genes to HDL and CHD risk through the study of critical variants across model systems. Despite their effect on HDL-C, variants in many of the reviewed genes were found to lack any association with CHD. These data collectively indicate that HDL-C concentration, which represents a static picture of a very dynamic and heterogeneous metabolic milieu, is unlikely to be itself causally protective against CHD. In this context, human genetics represent an extremely valuable tool to further explore the biological mechanisms regulating HDL metabolism and investigate what role, if any, HDL plays in the pathogenesis of CHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Vitali
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 11-162 TRC, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Sumeet A Khetarpal
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 11-162 TRC, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Daniel J Rader
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 11-162 TRC, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. .,Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute, and Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 11-125 TRC, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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Abstract
The development of CETP (cholesteryl ester transfer protein) inhibitors has had a long and difficult course with 3 compounds failing in phase III clinical trials. Finally, the REVEAL (Randomized Evaluation of the Effects of Anacetrapib through Lipid modification) trial has shown that the CETP inhibitor anacetrapib decreased coronary heart disease when added to statin therapy. Although the result is different to earlier studies, this is likely related to the size and duration of the trial. The benefit of anacetrapib seems to be largely explained by lowering of non-HDL-C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), rather than increases in HDL-C. Although the magnitude of benefit for coronary heart disease appeared to be moderate, in part this may have reflected aspects of the trial design. Anacetrapib treatment was associated with a small increase in blood pressure, but was devoid of major side effects and was also associated with a small reduction in diabetes mellitus. Treatment with CETP inhibitors, either alone or in combination with statins, could provide another option for patients with coronary disease who require further reduction in LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and non-HDL-C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan R Tall
- From the Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York (A.R.T.); and Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (D.J.R.)
| | - Daniel J Rader
- From the Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York (A.R.T.); and Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (D.J.R.)
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Wang Z, Niimi M, Ding Q, Liu Z, Wang L, Zhang J, Xu J, Fan J. Comparative studies of three cholesteryl ester transfer proteins and their interactions with known inhibitors. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180772. [PMID: 28767652 PMCID: PMC5540280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is a plasma protein that mediates bidirectional transfers of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides between low-density lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Because low levels of plasma CETP are associated with increased plasma HDL-cholesterol, therapeutic inhibition of CETP activity is considered an attractive strategy for elevating plasma HDL-cholesterol, thereby hoping to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, only a few laboratory animals, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters, have plasma CETP activity, whereas mice and rats do not. It is not known whether all CETPs in these laboratory animals are functionally similar to human CETP. In the current study, we compared plasma CETP activity and characterized the plasma lipoprotein profiles of these animals. Furthermore, we studied the three CETP molecular structures, physicochemical characteristics, and binding properties with known CETP inhibitors in silico. Our results showed that rabbits exhibited higher CETP activity than guinea pigs and hamsters, while these animals had different lipoprotein profiles. CETP inhibitors can inhibit rabbit and hamster CETP activity in a similar manner to human CETP. Analysis of CETP molecules in silico revealed that rabbit and hamster CETP showed many features that are similar to human CETP. These results provide novel insights into understanding CETP functions and molecular properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyun Wang
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Manabu Niimi
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Qianzhi Ding
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Human Virology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenming Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Human Virology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Pre-Incubator for Innovative Drugs & Medicine, School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Cardiovascular Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jun Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Human Virology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianglin Fan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
- Deparment of Pathology, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China
- * E-mail:
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