title: Apolipoprotein E-deficient rats develop atherosclerotic plaques in partially ligated carotid arteries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The goal of this study was to establish an apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE(-/-)) rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ApoE(-/-) rat was created by TALEN-mediated gene targeting in the genetic background of Sprague Dawley rat. Six-to eight-week-old male rats were used in the experiments (n = 10 in each group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After fed with high-cholesterol diet (HCD) for 12 weeks, the ApoE(-/-) rats displayed typical dyslipidemia. In contrast, HCD failed to induce hypercholesterolemia in wild-type rats. However, there was no obvious atherosclerotic lesion in oil red O-stained en face aortas and the aortic root sections in both genetic types of rats. Interestingly, partial ligation caused the formation of plaques consist of lipid and macrophages in carotid arteries from ApoE(-/-) rats, but induced the neointimal hyperplasia in wild-type rats. Additionally, we found that HCD slightly increased the expression of adhesion molecules, while partial ligation dramatically upregulated these molecules.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ApoE(-/-) rat is a novel model for dyslipidemia and could also be used in the research of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, 270 Tianhui Rd., Rongdu Ave., Jinniu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083, China.
authors.forename: Shujie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, 270 Tianhui Rd., Rongdu Ave., Jinniu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, 270 Tianhui Rd., Rongdu Ave., Jinniu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083, China.
authors.forename: Linan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, 270 Tianhui Rd., Rongdu Ave., Jinniu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083, China.
authors.forename: Kecheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, 270 Tianhui Rd., Rongdu Ave., Jinniu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, 270 Tianhui Rd., Rongdu Ave., Jinniu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083, China.
authors.forename: Yunrong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, 270 Tianhui Rd., Rongdu Ave., Jinniu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083, China.
authors.forename: Dachun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, 270 Tianhui Rd., Rongdu Ave., Jinniu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083, China. Electronic address: yangyongjian38@sina.com.
authors.forename: Yongjian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, 270 Tianhui Rd., Rongdu Ave., Jinniu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610083, China. Electronic address: ma.shuangtao@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shuangtao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D006965:Hyperplasia; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008026:Ligation; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D058426:Neointima; D010641:Phenotype; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D055647:Rats, Transgenic
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008055:Lipids
keywords: ApoE; Atherosclerosis; Knockout; TLEN