title: Cardioprotective role of vitamin D receptor in circulating endothelial cells of ApoE-deficient mice.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is the key course of coronary heart disease. In this study, we investigated the effect of vitamin D receptor on serum 1,25-(OH)2D levels, lipid profiles, nitric oxide expression, apoptosis-related gene Bcl-2, fas protein levels, in ApoE-deficient mice. The proliferation activity of VDR-RNAi transfected endothelial cells was decreased, the ability of apoptosis was increased, nitric oxide concentration was decreased and eNOS protein level was significantly reduced. VDR-RNAi induced lipid metabolism abnormality, reduced eNOS and ApoE levels, promoted lipid peroxidation, damaged the endothelial function and accelerated the process of atheroscleros. Together, our data presented a novel role for VDR in the pathogenesis process of atheroscleros by up regulating eNOS protein expression which could lay a solid foundation of VDR-specific activator treatment for coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hainan General Hospital Haikou 570102, China ; Department of Dermatology, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Hainan Province Haikou 570206, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hainan General Hospital Haikou 570102, China.
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephropathy, Children's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University Changsha, 410000, China.
authors.forename: Zhuwen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Hainan Province Haikou 570206, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephropathy, Children's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University Changsha, 410000, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
keywords: Vitamin D; apolipoprotein E; atherosclerosis; endothelial cells; vitamin D receptor