title: Heterozygous mutation of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated gene aggravates hypercholesterolemia in apoE-deficient mice.
abstract: Individuals with a heterozygous mutation at the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated gene (ATM) have been reported to be predisposed to ischemic heart disease. This report examined for the first time the effect of a heterozygous ATM mutation (ATM(+)(/-)) on plasma lipid levels and atherosclerosis intensity using ATM(+/-), ATM(+)(/+) (wild type), ATM(+)(/+)/LDLR(-)(/-) (low density lipoprotein receptor knockout), ATM(+)(/-)/LDLR(-)(/-), ATM(+)(/+)/ApoE(-)(/-) (apolipoprotein E knockout), and ATM(+)(/-)/ApoE(-)(/-) mice. Our data demonstrated that the plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels in ATM(+)(/-) and ATM(+)(/-)/LDLR(-)(/-) mice were approximately the same as those in ATM(+)(/+) and ATM(+)(/+)/LDLR(-)(/-) control mice, respectively. In contrast, the plasma cholesterol level was significantly higher in ATM(+)(/-)/ApoE(-)(/-) mice than in ATM(+)(/+)/ApoE(-)(/-) control mice. In addition, the ATM(+)(/-)/ApoE(-)(/-) mice showed higher plasma apoB-48 levels, slower clearance for plasma apoB-48-carrying lipoproteins, and more advanced atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta compared with the ATM(+)(/+)/ApoE(-)(/-) mice. These novel results suggest that the product of ATM is involved in an apoE-independent pathway for catabolism of apoB-48-carrying remnants; therefore, superimposition of a heterozygous ATM mutation onto an ApoE deficiency background reduces the clearance of apoB-48-carrying lipoproteins from the blood circulation and promotes the formation of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA.
authors.forename: Dongfang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Lichun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Mingjian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Julies
authors.forename: Janice M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Laplante
authors.forename: Billy R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ballard
authors.forename: Zhongmao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D001260:Ataxia Telangiectasia; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D002784:Cholesterol; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; C576325:Atm protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases