Lipoprotein(a) accelerates atherosclerosis in uremic mice

J Lipid Res. 2010 Oct;51(10):2967-75. doi: 10.1194/jlr.M006742. Epub 2010 Jun 28.

Abstract

Uremic patients have increased plasma lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels and elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Lp(a) is a subfraction of LDL, where apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] is disulfide bound to apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB). Lp(a) binds oxidized phospholipids (OxPL), and uremia increases lipoprotein-associated OxPL. Thus, Lp(a) may be particularly atherogenic in a uremic setting. We therefore investigated whether transgenic (Tg) expression of human Lp(a) increases atherosclerosis in uremic mice. Moderate uremia was induced by 5/6 nephrectomy (NX) in Tg mice with expression of human apo(a) (n = 19), human apoB-100 (n = 20), or human apo(a) + human apoB [Lp(a)] (n = 15), and in wild-type (WT) controls (n = 21). The uremic mice received a high-fat diet, and aortic atherosclerosis was examined 35 weeks later. LDL-cholesterol was increased in apoB-Tg and Lp(a)-Tg mice, but it was normal in apo(a)-Tg and WT mice. Uremia did not result in increased plasma apo(a) or Lp(a). Mean atherosclerotic plaque area in the aortic root was increased 1.8-fold in apo(a)-Tg (P = 0.025) and 3.3-fold (P = 0.0001) in Lp(a)-Tg mice compared with WT mice. Plasma OxPL, as detected with the E06 antibody, was associated with both apo(a) and Lp(a). In conclusion, expression of apo(a) or Lp(a) increased uremia-induced atherosclerosis. Binding of OxPL on apo(a) and Lp(a) may contribute to the atherogenicity of Lp(a) in uremia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Atherosclerosis / etiology*
  • Atherosclerosis / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lipoprotein(a) / blood
  • Lipoprotein(a) / metabolism*
  • Lipoproteins, LDL / blood
  • Lipoproteins, LDL / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Phospholipids / metabolism
  • Uremia / complications*
  • Uremia / metabolism

Substances

  • Lipoprotein(a)
  • Lipoproteins, LDL
  • Phospholipids
  • oxidized low density lipoprotein