[Upregulated PGC-NRF-mtTFA expressions contributed to the development of atherosclerosis in rabbits fed with a high fat diet].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between PPAR coactivator 1 (PGC-1), nuclear respiratory factor (NRF), mitochondrial transcription factor A (mtTFA) expressions of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and development of atherosclerosis in a rabbit model.


METHODS
Atherosclerotic model was established by feeding the rabbits with high-fat diet for 4, 8 and 12 weeks (n = 10 each). Another 8 rabbits fed with normal diet served as normal controls. Intima-media ratio, mRNA and protein expressions of PGC-1, NRF, mtTFA and SMemb, a marker for synthetic VSMC, were detected on aorta specimens.


RESULTS
With the blood lipid increased, the intima-media ratio rose from (0.031 +/- 0.010) microm up to (0.814 +/- 0.258) microm during 12 weeks. Increasing SMemb means that synthetic VSMC grew more and more. The expressions of PGC-1 became significant after 4 weeks (P < 0.01), while that of NRF-1 and mtTFA rose significantly after 8 weeks (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The PGC-NRF-mtTFA pathway might play a critical role in VSMC proliferation and development of atherosclerosis.
Wu
Wen-sheng
WS
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
Liu
Gui-nan
GN
Huo
Hai-yang
HY
Wang
Feng-rong
FR
Zheng
Xian
X
Mao
Dan
D
D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D051266:Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008055:Lipids; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D051266:Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C422562:mitochondrial transcription factor A