title: Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α in Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with deposition of excessive cholesterol in the arterial intima. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) is a nuclear receptor that can activate or inhibit the expression of many target genes by forming a heterodimer complex with the retinoid X receptor. Activation of PPARα plays an important role in the metabolism of multiple lipids, including high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, phospholipid, bile acids, and fatty acids. Increased PPARα activity also mitigates atherosclerosis by blocking macrophage foam cell formation, vascular inflammation, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, plaque instability, and thrombogenicity. Clinical use of synthetic PPARα agonist fibrate improved dyslipidemia and attenuated atherosclerosis-related disease risk. This review summarizes PPARα in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis, and also highlights its potential therapeutic benefits.
authors.affiliation: Life Science Research Center, Key Laboratory for Atherosclerology of Hunan Province, Molecular Target New Drug Discovery and Cooperative Innovation Center of Hunan Province, University of South China, Hengyang, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Cumming School of Medicine, The University of Calgary, Health Sciences Center, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Xi-Long
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Life Science Research Center, Key Laboratory for Atherosclerology of Hunan Province, Molecular Target New Drug Discovery and Cooperative Innovation Center of Hunan Province, University of South China, Hengyang, PR China. Electronic address: tangchaoke@qq.com.
authors.forename: Chao-Ke
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000819:agonists / Q000502:physiology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D047493:PPAR alpha; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Fibrates; Lipid metabolism; PPARα; RXR