title: Genetic regulation of atherosclerotic plaque size and morphology in the innominate artery of hyperlipidemic mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the genetic factors contributing to atherosclerotic plaque size and cellular composition in the innominate artery, a murine model of advanced atherosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We examined genetic contributions to innominate atherosclerotic plaque size and cellular composition in an intercross between C57BL/6J.Apoe(-/-), a strain susceptible to aortic lesions, and C3H/HeJ.Apoe(-/-), a strain resistant to aortic lesions. Surprisingly, total innominate lesion size was similar in the two strains. Genetic analyses identified one novel locus on Chromosome 2 for innominate artery lesion size, a significant locus for fibrous cap thickness on Chromosome 15, and several suggestive loci for cellular composition, all distinct from loci influencing aortic lesions. The Chromosome 2 locus contains a candidate, CD44. We show that CD44 is expressed in the innominate artery and differs strikingly in expression between the parental strains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple aspects of innominate lesion composition are genetically determined, but in a manner largely independent of the genetic contributions to aortic lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, 675 Charles E. Young Dr South, 3730 MRL, School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1679, USA. bbennett@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Susanna S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Aldons J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lusis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016122:Brachiocephalic Trunk / Q000473:pathology*; D033481:Chromosomes, Mammalian; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008126:Lod Score; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D012737:Sex Factors; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; C476399:Cd44 protein, mouse; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D008055:Lipids