This article is available online at http://www.jlr.org complications, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) ( 1 ). Proteins and peptides like advanced glycation end products (AGEs), amyloid- peptides (A  s), S100/ calgranulin family members, and HMGB1 (amphoterin) have been identifi ed as ligands for RAGE ( 2 ). Diabetes is characterized by a high blood glucose level. This enhanced concentration of glucose is responsible for the nonenzymatic generation of AGEs. AGEs represent a heterogeneous group of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids resulting from chemical reactions between reducing sugars and amino groups. Studies with animal models have shown that RAGE is the best known target for AGEs in the vasculature and it is well established that the AGE/RAGE interaction contributes to the progression of atherosclerotic plaques ( 3-5 ). Ligand/RAGE interaction induces activation of various pro-infl ammatory and pro-atherogenic mediators, such as the nuclear factor-B (NF-B)-dependent mediators vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, tumor necrosis factor-␣ , interleukin-6, and RAGE ( 6 ). Because RAGE itself is regulated by NF-B, this further increases its expression and promotes cellular dysfunction ( 7 ).Blockade of RAGE by using the soluble form of the receptor ameliorates the vascular complications of diabetes in animal models ( 8-10 ) and suppresses the accumulation of A  s in the brain of an AD mouse model ( 11 ). These benefi cial effects of soluble RAGE are thought to be mediated by trapping ligands, thus preventing ligand binding of membrane-bound RAGE. The circulating soluble form of RAGE containing only the extracellular part of fulllength RAGE, is either produced by alternative splicing The type I transmembrane protein receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, has been shown to play a crucial role in chronic infl ammatory diseases, late diabetic Press, August 21, 2013 DOI 10.1194 Statins stimulate the production of a soluble form of the receptor for advanced glycation end products Abbreviations: A  , amyloid- peptide; AD, Alzheimer's disease; AGE, advanced glycation end product; APP, amyloid precursor protein; esRAGE, endogenous secretory receptor for advanced glycation end products; FCS, fetal calf serum; LDS, lipid-defi cient serum; M  CD, methyl- -cyclodextrin; NF-B, nuclear factor-B; RAGE, receptor for advanced glycation end products; RNAi, RNA interference; siRNA, small interfering RNA; SQS, squalene synthase; sRAGE, shed receptor-the soluble form of the receptor for advanced glycation end products after proteolytic shedding of the full length receptor; ZA, zaragozic acid A .
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