Male-associated hypertension in LDL-R deficient mice.
Hypertension is more common among African Americans than Americans of European descent. However, the genetic etiology has not been defined. Similarly, lipoprotein (Lp) (a), an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is higher among African Americans. To explore the relationship between Lp (a) and hypertension, we measured the blood pressure of transgenic mice expressing apolipoprotein(a), the unique protein moiety of lipoprotein(a). As controls, we also determined blood pressure for apoE deficient mice, low density lipoprotein-receptor (LDL-R) deficient mice, and wild type C57Bl/6 mice. Apo(a) expression was not associated with hypertension. Surprisingly, LDL-R deficient mice exhibited male-associated hypertension. This observation could explain the higher incidence of atherosclerosis in male LDL-R deficient mice and human familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients. LDL-R deficient mice were more sensitive to photochemically induced cerebral stroke. However, this hypersensitivity was only modestly associated with sexual dimorphism. The presented data suggest that LDL-R deficiency results in hitherto unrecognized changes in the vascular tone.
Trieu
V N
VN
Department of Cardiovascular Biology and Molecular Epidemiology Program, Wayne Hughes Institute, 2665 Long Lake Road, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55113, USA.
Uckun
F M
FM
D000818:Animals; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency; D053241:Apoprotein(a); D001794:Blood Pressure; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000172:deficiency*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D011973:Receptors, LDL; D053241:Apoprotein(a)