Endoglin expression in hyper-cholesterolemia and after atorvastatin treatment in apoE-deficient mice.
OBJECTIVE
Endoglin (CD105) is a marker of activated endothelium and a modulator of TGF-beta signaling. We hypothesized whether endothelial expression of endoglin is changed in hypercholesterolemia as well as whether its expression is affected by atorvastatin treatment in apoE-deficient mice.


METHODS
ApoE-deficient mice were fed with the chow diet for either 4 weeks or for 12 weeks respectively. In two treated groups, mice were fed with chow diet except atorvastatin was added to the diet for the last 4 weeks or for the last 8 weeks respectively, before euthanasia.


RESULTS
Administration of atorvastatin did not affect lipid parameters after 4 weeks treatment, however increased all lipid parameters after 8 weeks of treatment. Stereological analysis of immunohistochemical staining revealed that atorvastatin significantly decreased endoglin expression in endothelium after 4 weeks of treatment but increased it after 8 weeks of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that endoglin is expressed by aortic endothelium showing similar staining patterns like other markers involved in the process of atherosclerosis. In addition, we showed that endoglin expression in endothelium could be affected by the administration of atorvastatin beyond its lipid lowering effects in apoE-deficient mice.
Pospisilova
Nada
N
Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
Semecky
Vladimir
V
Jamborova
Gabriela
G
Pospechova
Katerina
K
Solichova
Dagmar
D
Andrys
Ctirad
C
Zdansky
Petr
P
Nachtigal
Petr
P
D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D000071063:Endoglin; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D000071063:Endoglin; C502004:Eng protein, mouse; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin