The atheroprotective effect of 17 beta-estradiol is not altered in P-selectin- or ICAM-1-deficient hypercholesterolemic mice.
Atherosclerosis
; 166(1): 41-8, 2003 Jan.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-12482549
ABSTRACT
The mechanisms that mediate the atheroprotective properties of estrogens remain obscure. In the present study, we evaluated the involvement of the adhesion molecule P-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) in the atheroprotective effect of estrogens in murine models evaluating early steps of atherosclerosis. First, we studied the effect of 17 beta-estradiol (E2) administration for 12 weeks on fatty streak constitution at the root aorta of ovariectomized female mice deficient in apolipoprotein E (apoE) alone or deficient in both apoE and either P-selectin or ICAM-1. Compared with respective placebo groups, E2 significantly prevented the development of fatty streak, to a similar extent in all three genotypes (-70.0% in apoE(-/-), -77.4% in apoE(-/-) P-selectin(-/-), and -77.1% in apoE(-/-) ICAM-1(-/-)). Second, the endothelial expression of VCAM-1 at the root aorta was assessed by immunohistochemistry in either placebo or E2-treated ovariectomized C57BL/6 female mice fed an atherogenic diet. Compared with placebo, E2 treatment resulted in a 31.8% decrease of VCAM-1 endothelial expression at this lesion-prone site (P=0.03). These results demonstrate that P-selectin and ICAM-1 are not involved in the atheroprotective effect of estrogens, and suggest that VCAM-1 could play a role in this process.
Search on Google
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Apolipoproteins E
/
Arteriosclerosis
/
Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
/
Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
/
P-Selectin
/
Estradiol
Type of study:
Evaluation_studies
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Year:
2003
Type:
Article