Objective-Both the apolipoprotein A5 and C3 genes have repeatedly been shown to play an important role in determining plasma triglyceride concentrations in humans and mice. In mice, transgenic and knockout experiments indicate that plasma triglyceride levels are strongly altered by changes in the expression of either of these 2 genes. In humans, common polymorphisms in both genes have also been associated with plasma triglyceride concentrations. These similar findings raised the issue of the relationship between these 2 genes and altered triglycerides. Methods and Results-To address this issue, we generated independent lines of mice that either overexpressed ("double transgenic") or completely lacked ("double knockout") both apolipoprotein genes. We report that both "double transgenic" and "double knockout" mice display normal triglyceride concentrations compared with overexpression or deletion of either gene alone. Furthermore, we find that human ApoAV plasma protein levels in the "double transgenic" mice are Ϸ500-fold lower than human ApoCIII levels, supporting ApoAV as a potent triglyceride modulator despite its low concentration. Conclusions-Together, these data support that APOA5 and APOC3 independently influence plasma triglyceride concentrations but in an opposing manner. Key Words: apolipoprotein Ⅲ triglyceride Ⅲ transgenic mice A polipoproteins constitute a class of polypeptides found on plasma lipoprotein particles that play an important role in lipid transport and metabolism. Alterations in the level or structure of these molecules have been shown to dramatically impact plasma lipid concentrations and, in many cases, atherosclerosis susceptibility in humans as well as in mice. In mammals, evidence exists that some of the apolipoprotein family members are evolutionarily related as the result of gene duplication events. For instance, apolipoprotein AI, AIV, and E all share amino acid identity and similarity, supportive of a common ancestral origin. 1 We recently identified an additional member of this apolipoprotein family, named ApoAV, through the use of human-mouse genomic sequence comparisons. 2 APOA5 is located within the welldescribed APOA1/A4/C3 gene cluster on human chromosome 11q23. 3 Although APOA5 is most closely related to APOA4, manipulations of APOA5 levels in mice resulted in profound effects on plasma triglyceride concentrations, a phenotype not present in APOA4 mouse models. 2,4,5 APOA5 transgenic mice displayed significantly reduced (Ϫ70%) triglyceride concentrations whereas apoA5 knockouts had an increase (ϩ400%) in this lipid parameter. 2 Further genetic studies in humans have consistently reported strong association between common APOA5 polymorphisms and plasma triglyceride concentrations. 2,6 -11 In addition to APOA5, the neighboring APOC3 gene has also been reported to have a striking effect on human and mouse plasma triglyceride concentrations. However, APOC3 has an opposite impact on triglycerides, with transgenic mice having increased concentrations (ϩ200% to 2000%) and knocko...