No abstract

No abstract

Objective Apolipoprotein A-II (apo A-II) is the second major apolipoprotein of HDLs, yet its pathophysiological roles in the development of atherosclerosis remain unknown. We aimed to examine whether apo A-II plays any role in atherogenesis and if so, to elucidate the mechanism involved. Methods and Results We compared the susceptibility of human apo A-II transgenic (Tg) rabbits to cholesterol diet-induced atherosclerosis with non-Tg littermate rabbits. Tg rabbits developed significantly less aortic and coronary atherosclerosis than their non-Tg littermates while total plasma cholesterol levels were similar. Atherosclerotic lesions of Tg rabbits were characterized by reduced macrophages and smooth muscle cells and apo A-II immunoreactive proteins were frequently detected in the lesions. Tg rabbits exhibited low levels of plasma CRP and blood leukocytes compared to non-Tg rabbits and HDLs of Tg rabbit plasma exerted stronger cholesterol efflux activity and inhibitory effects on the inflammatory cytokine expression by macrophages in vitro than HDLs isolated from non-Tg rabbits. In addition, β-VLDLs of Tg rabbits were less sensitive to copper-induced oxidation than β-VLDLs of non-Tg rabbits. Conclusions These results suggest that enrichment of apo A-II in HDL particles has atheroprotective effects and apo A-II may become a target for the treatment of atherosclerosis.