Cited by 284Cholesterol and Lipid MetabolismAtherosclerosis and Cardiovascular DiseasesLipoproteins and Cardiovascular Health

Macrophage-specific expression of human apolipoprotein E reduces atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E-null mice

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Bellosta, S, Mahley, R W, Sanan, D A, Murata, J, Newland, D L, Taylor, J M, Pitas, R E·1995·Journal of Clinical Investigation

Abstract

apoE deficiency causes hyperlipidemia and premature atherosclerosis. To determine if macrophage-specific expression of apoE would decrease the extent of atherosclerosis, we expressed human apoE in macrophages of apoE-null mice (apoE-/-) and assessed the effect on lipid accumulation in cells of the arterial wall. Macrophage-specific expression of human apoE in normal mice was obtained by use of the visna virus LTR. These animals were bred with apoE-/- mice to produce animals hemizygous for expression of human apoE in macrophages in the absence of murine apoE (apoE-/-,hTgE+/0). Low levels of human apoE mRNA were present in liver and spleen and high levels in lung and peritoneal macrophages. Human apoE was secreted by peritoneal macrophages and was detected in Kupffer cells of the liver. Human apoE in the plasma of apoE-/-,hTgE+/0 mice (n = 30) was inversely correlated (P < 0.005) with the plasma cholesterol concentration. After 15 wk on a normal chow diet, atherosclerosis was assessed in apoE-/-,hTgE+/0 animals and in apoE-/-,hTgE0/0 littermates matched for plasma cholesterol level (approximately 450 mg/dl) and lipoprotein profile. There was significantly less atherosclerosis in both the aortic sinus and in the proximal aorta (P < 0.0001) in the animals expressing the human apoE transgene. In apo-E-/-,hTgE+/0 animals, which had detectable atherosclerotic lesions, human apoE was detected in the secretory apparatus of macrophage-derived foam cells in the arterial wall. The data demonstrate that expression of apoE by macrophages is antiatherogenic even in the presence of high levels of atherogenic lipoproteins. The data suggest that apoE prevents atherosclerosis by promoting cholesterol efflux from cells of the arterial wall.

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  • The atheroprotective role of macrophage apoE has been well documented, with macrophage-derived apoE protecting against atherosclerosis during both early and late plaque development; protection remains even when expressed in low amounts and in the absence of changes in serum lipid levels.

    “The atheroprotective role of macrophage apoE has been well documented, with macrophage-derived apoE being shown to protect against atherosclerosis during both early ( 12,13 ) and late plaque development ( 11 ); protection remains even when it is expressed in low amounts ( 14 ) and in the absence of changes in serum lipid levels ( 15 ).”

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  1. Pitas, R. E., T. L. Innerarity, K. S. Arnold, and R. W. Mahley. 1979. Rate and equilibrium constants for binding of apo-E HDL, (a cholesterol-induced lipoprotein) and low density lipoproteins to human fibroblasts: Evidence for multi- ple receptor binding of apo-E HDL,. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 76:2311-2315.
  2. Yamada, N., D. M. Shames, J. B. Stoudemire, and R. J. Havel. 1986. Metabolism of lipoproteins containing apolipoprotein B-100 in blood plasma of rabbits: heterogeneity related to the presence of apolipoprotein E. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 83:3479-3483.
  3. Piedrahita, J. A., S. H. Zhang, J. R. Hagaman, P. M. Oliver, and N. Maeda. 1992. Generation of mice carrying a mutant apolipoprotein E gene inactivated by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 89:4471- 4475.
  4. Hogan, B., F. Costantini, and E. Lacy. 1986. Manipulating the Mouse Embryo. A Laboratory Manual. Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. 332 pp.
  5. Shimano, H., N. Yamada, M. Katsuki, M. Shimada, T. Gotoda, K. Harada, T. Murase, C. Fukazawa, F. Takaku, and Y. Yazaki. 1992. Overexpression of apolipoprotein E in transgenic mice: marked reduction in plasma lipoproteins except high density lipoprotein and resistance against diet-induced hypercholester- olemia. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 89:1750-1754.
  6. Plump, A. S., C. J. Scott, and J. L. Breslow. 1994. Human apolipoprotein A-I gene expression increases high density lipoprotein and suppresses atheroscle- rosis in the apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 91:9607-9611.
  7. Huang, Y., A. von Eckardstein, S. Wu, N. Maeda, and G. Assmann. 1994. A plasma lipoprotein containing only apolipoprotein E and with y mobility on electrophoresis releases cholesterol from cells. Proc. NatI. Acad. Sci. USA. 91:1834-1838.

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Authors
Bellosta, S., Mahley, R. W., Sanan, D. A., Murata, J., Newland, D. L., Taylor, J. M., & Pitas, R. E.
Affiliations
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
  • Gladstone Institutes (US)
Venue
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Published
1995-11-01
Volume
96
Issue
5
Pages
2170-2179
ISSN
0021-9738 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2134010411
Cited by
284
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 8
FWCI
13.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Clinical Investigation (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (Universita Degli Studi Di Milano) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5p01hl047660-10)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL-47660)
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, macrophages, atherosclerosis, ApoE-null mice, transgenic mice, hypercholesterolemia, foam cells, cholesterol efflux, Kupffer cells, peritoneal macrophages, antiatherogenic effects, serum cholesterol
MeSH terms
Animals, Apolipoproteins E, Arteriosclerosis, Cells, Cultured, Cholesterol, Female, Foam Cells, Humans, Hypercholesterolemia, Macrophages, Male, Mice, Transgenic, Gene Expression, Gene Transfer Techniques, Mice

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