Genetic evidence for a common pathway mediating oxidative stress, inflammatory gene induction, and aortic fatty streak formation in mice.
In a previous survey of inbred mouse strains on an atherogenic diet, we observed that the susceptibility to aortic atherosclerotic lesion formation was associated with the accumulation of lipid peroxidation products, induction of inflammatory genes, and the activation of NF-kB-like transcription factors (Liao, F., A. Andalibi, F. C. deBeer, A. M. Fogelman, and A.J. Lusis. 1993. J. Clin. Invest. 91:2572-2579). We hypothesized that the inflammation-related processes were stimulated by oxidized lipids, since injection of minimally oxidized LDL (MM-LDL) activated the same set of genes. We now report that the induction of inflammatory genes and activation of NF-kB-like transcription factors cosegregate with aortic atherosclerotic lesion formation in BXH recombinant inbred strains derived from parental C57BL/6J (susceptible) and C3H/HeJ (resistant) mice. In addition, the accumulation of hepatic conjugated dienes exhibited a significant correlation with inflammatory gene activation. These results provide strong evidence for the role of inflammatory mediators inducible by oxidative stress in atherogenesis. They also suggest that a major gene contributing to aortic lesion development in this mouse model, designated Ath-1, may control either the accumulation of lipid peroxides in tissues or the cellular responses to such lipid peroxides.
Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine 90024.
F
F
Liao
A
A
Andalibi
J H
JH
Qiao
H
H
Allayee
A M
AM
Fogelman
A J
AJ
Lusis
D000818:Animals; D001054:Apolipoproteins A / Q000235:genetics; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000235:genetics; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
D001054:Apolipoproteins A; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; C022205:apolipoprotein A-IV; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)