Age-dependent increase of NF-kappaB translocation and PDGF-B expression in aortic endothelial cells of hypercholesterolemic rats.
The objective of this study was to determine whether there was an age-dependent difference in promoting nuclear translocation of NF-kappa B and platelet derived growth factor expression in aortic endothelial cells between two groups of Wistar rats of 2 and 10 months in age, respectively, accompanied by hypercholesterolemia. The serum cholesterol levels became significantly higher in the older rats after taking a cholesterol-enriched diet for 16 weeks (129.3+/-11.9 vs. 194.5+/-22.6 mg/dl, P<0.01). The increase in total cholesterol levels were due to an elevation of LDL cholesterol since serum HDL cholesterol concentrations were similar in rats on either a high cholesterol- or a standard diet. Immunohistologic staining revealed nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB in aortic endothelial cells of rats was responsible for a high cholesterol uptake by cells. PDGF-B production was also increased in the endothelial cells of these animals as identified by situ hybridization and immunohistologic staining. Interestingly, the intensity of PDGF-B expression in the 10 months old rats was markedly higher than those of 2 months old. Taken together, these findings provide evidence that there was an elevation of serum cholesterol levels coinciding with an increase of PDGF-B expression in older rats, in which NF-kappaB might be an important transcription factor in mediating a hypercholesterolemia-induced PDGF-B expression.
Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100005, China.
Li
L
Zhou
Jihong
J
Dong
Miao
M
Yu
Hongchou
H
Yin
Mingpeng
M
She
D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000502:physiology
D016328:NF-kappa B; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002784:Cholesterol