title: Autocrine Human Urotensin II Enhances Macrophage-Derived Foam Cell Formation in Transgenic Rabbits.
abstract: Circulating urotensin II (UII) is involved in the development of atherosclerosis. However, the role of autocrine UII in the development of atherosclerosis remains unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that autocrine UII would promote atherosclerosis. Transgenic rabbits were created as a model to study macrophage-specific expressing human UII (hUII) and used to investigate the role of autocrine UII in the development of atherosclerosis. Transgenic rabbits and their nontransgenic littermates were fed a high cholesterol diet to induce atherosclerosis. Comparing the transgenic rabbits with their nontransgenic littermates, it was observed that hUII expression increased the macrophage-positive area in the atherosclerotic lesions by 45% and the positive area ratio by 56% in the transgenic rabbits. Autocrine hUII significantly decreased the smooth muscle cell-positive area ratio in transgenic rabbits (by 54%), without affecting the plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glucose and adipose tissue contents. These results elucidated for the first time that autocrine UII plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis by increasing the accumulation of macrophage-derived foam cell.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China ; Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Sihai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China ; Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Yafeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Shoucui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Lijing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Daxing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan.
authors.forename: Jianglin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China ; Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China.
authors.forename: Enqi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005487:Foam Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D014579:Urotensins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D014579:Urotensins; C029677:urotensin II; D002784:Cholesterol