Spontaneous Hypercholesterolemia and Arterial Lesions in Mice Lacking Apolipoprotein E
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a ligand for receptors that clear remnants of chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins. Lack of apoE is, therefore, expected to cause accumulation in plasma of cholesterol-rich remnants whose prolonged circulation should be atherogenic. ApoE-deficient mice generated by gene targeting were used to test this hypothesis and to make a mouse model for spontaneous atherosclerosis. The mutant mice had five times normal plasma cholesterol, and developed foam cell-rich depositions in their proximal aortas by age 3 months. These spontaneous lesions progressed and caused severe occlusion of the coronary artery ostium by 8 months. The severe yet viable phenotype of the mutants should make them valuable for investigating genetic and environmental factors that modify the atherogenic process.
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ApoE-deficient mice are used as model animals for atherosclerosis.
“Disorders of apoE are associated with atherosclerosis, which causes dyslipidemia and myocardial infarction, and apoE-deficient mice are used as model animals for atherosclerosis2, 3).”
From Impact of Apolipoprotein E Variants: A Review of Naturally Occurring Variants and Clinical Features (2025) · cites this paper as [2]
Disorders of apoE are associated with atherosclerosis, which causes dyslipidemia and myocardial infarction.
“Disorders of apoE are associated with atherosclerosis, which causes dyslipidemia and myocardial infarction, and apoE-deficient mice are used as model animals for atherosclerosis2, 3).”
From Impact of Apolipoprotein E Variants: A Review of Naturally Occurring Variants and Clinical Features (2025) · cites this paper as [2]
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- Authors
- Zhang, S. H., Reddick, R. L., Piedrahita, J. A., & Maeda, N.
- Affiliations
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- Texas A&M University (US)
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 1992-10-16
- Volume
- 258
- Issue
- 5081
- Pages
- 468-471
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2035252462
- Cited by
- 2,237
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 67 · 2018: 52 · 2017: 58 · 2016: 68 · 2015: 78 · 2014: 63 · 2013: 78 · 2012: 77
- FWCI
- 65.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL 42630)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular Health
- Keywords
- apolipoprotein E, ApoE-deficient mice, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, arterial lesions, foam cells, aortic lesions, coronary artery occlusion, chylomicron remnants, VLDL, gene targeting, mouse model of atherosclerosis
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Apolipoproteins E, Cholesterol, Disease Models, Animal, Hypercholesterolemia, Lipoproteins, Mice, Mutant Strains, Triglycerides, Mutagenesis, Insertional, Mice
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