Disparity of MCP-1 mRNA and protein expressions between the carotid artery and the aorta in WHHL rabbits: one aspect involved in the regional difference in atherosclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to examine why in WHHL rabbits, muscular arteries, such as the carotid artery, are relatively resistant to atherosclerosis compared with the aorta, with a special reference to monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1.


RESULTS
MCP-1 mRNA expression was quantitated by Northern blot analysis, and its protein expression was quantitated by immunostaining and ELISA at the age of 1, 3, 6, and 12 months (n=5 to 6 each). In the aorta, atherosclerotic lesions were progressively developed with aging, and MCP-1 was highly expressed in endothelial cells and infiltrating macrophages. By contrast, in the carotid artery, atherosclerotic lesions and MCP-1 immunoreactivity were not evident throughout the experimental period. Unexpectedly, however, the extent of MCP-1 mRNA expression was comparable between the aorta and the carotid artery throughout the experimental period. Endothelial cells in primary culture from the aorta and the carotid artery expressed the same extent of MCP-1 mRNA on stimulation by oxidized LDL. There was no abnormality in primary structure of MCP-1 cDNA in WHHL.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that in WHHL, the atherosclerosis process, including MCP-1 protein expression, may be reduced in the carotid artery (and possibly in other muscular arteries), accounting in part for the regional resistance to atherosclerosis.
Tanaka
Eriko
E
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan.
Shimokawa
Hiroaki
H
Kamiuneten
Hitoshi
H
Eto
Yasuhiro
Y
Matsumoto
Yasuharu
Y
Morishige
Kunio
K
Koike
George
G
Yoshinaga
Masaru
M
Egashira
Kensuke
K
Tokunaga
Osamu
O
Shiomi
Masashi
M
Takeshita
Akira
A
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011817:Rabbits; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods
D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein