Bult, Hidde

Crauwels, Herta

Fransen, Paul

Guns, Pieter-Jan

Hendrickx, Jan-Jaap

Martinet, Wim

Raes, Martine

van Assche, Tim

Abstract: Background/Aims: Site-specific atherosclerosis is generally attributed to differential gene expression in endothelial cells. We investigated whether the transcriptome of smooth muscle cells is different between atherosclerosis-prone and atherosclerosis-resistant regions in apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE/) mice before plaque development, and in C57Bl/6 mice. Methods: De-endothelialized aortas (both strains: 3 males, 3 females, age 4 months) were divided into atherosclerosis-prone (AA: ascending aorta, aortic arch and proximal 2 mm of thoracic aorta) and -resistant (CTA: central thoracic aorta, i.e. 6 mm distal from the proximal 2 mm) regions. The transcriptome of these two regions was compared using whole-genome mouse microarrays. Results: Microarray analysis revealed differential expression (>2-fold difference) of 70 and 244 genes in C57Bl/6 and apoE/ mice. This was confirmed for 6 genes using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Up- or downregulation in the AA was observed for 33 and 37 genes in C57Bl/6, and for 186 and 58 genes in apoE/ mice, respectively. The 201 genes that showed exclusively differential expression in apoE/ mice were related to atherosclerotic processes, such as cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, motility, cell death, lipid metabolism and immune responses. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that smooth muscle cells display an altered transcriptome at atherosclerosis-prone locations before actual lesion development

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Transcription profiles of aortic smooth muscle cells from atherosclerosis-prone and -resistant regions in young apolipoprotein E-deficient mice before plaque development

Transcription profiles of aortic smooth muscle cells from atherosclerosis-prone and -resistant regions in young apolipoprotein E-deficient mice before plaque development

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Institutional Repository Universiteit Antwerpen