Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0004153 (atherosclerosis)
 77,401 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Although the complement system has been implicated in atherosclerosis, the influence of membrane-bound complement regulators in this process has not been well understood. We studied the role of two membrane complement regulators, decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and CD59, in a murine model of atherosclerosis. DAF(-/-) and CD59(-/-) mice were crossed with apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-deficient mice to generate DAF(-/-)ApoE(-/-) and CD59(-/-)ApoE(-/-) mice. Mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 8 or 16 weeks. En face analysis showed that CD59 deficiency led to more extensive lesions in female ApoE(-/-) mice both at 8 weeks (2.07+/-0.27% vs.1.34+/-0.21%, P=0.06) and 16 weeks (17.13+/-1.14% vs. 9.72+/-1.14%, P<0.001). Similarly, lesions measured by aortic root sectioning were larger in female CD59(-/-)ApoE(-/-) mice than in controls at 8 weeks of HFD feeding (20.74+/-1.33% vs. 13.12+/-1.46%, P<0.005). On the other hand, DAF deficiency did not significantly influence atherosclerosis in ApoE(-/-) mice. Immunohistochemistry revealed more abundant membrane attack complex (MAC) deposition and more collagen staining in the aortic roots of CD59(-/-)ApoE(-/-) mice. Unexpectedly, total plasma cholesterol levels in female CD59(-/-)ApoE(-/-) mice were found to be elevated compared with CD59(+/+)ApoE(-/-) mice. We conclude that CD59 but not DAF offered protection in atherosclerosis in the context of ApoE deficiency. The protective role of CD59 was gender-biased and most likely involved prevention of MAC-mediated vascular injury, with possible contribution from an undefined effect on plasma cholesterol homeostasis.
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PMID:CD59 but not DAF deficiency accelerates atherosclerosis in female ApoE knockout mice. 1929 24

Inappropriate activation of complement on the vascular endothelium of specific organs, or systemically, underlies the etiology of a number of diseases. These disorders include atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, atherosclerosis, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and transplant rejection. Inhibition of the terminal step of complement activation, i.e. formation of the membrane attack complex, using CD59 has the advantage of retaining the upstream processes of the complement cascade necessary for fighting pathogens and retaining complement's crucial role in tissue homeostasis. Previous studies have shown the necessity of membrane targeting of soluble CD59 in order for it to prove an effective inhibitor of complement deposition both in vitro and in vivo. In this study we have generated an in vivo model of human complement activation on murine liver vascular endothelium. This model should prove useful for the development of anti-complement therapies for complement-induced pathologies of vascular endothelium. Using this model, we have demonstrated the viability of a non membrane-targeted soluble CD59 to significantly inhibit complement deposition on the endothelium of murine liver vasculature when expressed in vivo from an adenovirus. This result, unanticipated based on prior studies, suggests that the use of non membrane-targeted sCD59 as an anti-complement therapy be re-visited.
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PMID:Soluble CD59 expressed from an adenovirus in vivo is a potent inhibitor of complement deposition on murine liver vascular endothelium. 2172 May 65

The effects of C-phycocyanin (C-PC) on atherosclerosis and the regulatory effects of CD59 gene on anti-atherosclerotic roles of C-PC were investigated. Apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE(-/-)) mice were randomly divided into four groups: control group, C-PC treatment group, CD59 transfection group and C-PC+CD59 synergy group. The mice were fed with high-fat-diet and treated with drug intervention at the same time. Results showed the atherosclerotic mouse model was successfully established. CD59 was over-expressed in blood and tissue cells. Single CD59 or C-PC could reduce blood lipid levels and promote the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 but inhibit pro-apoptotic Fas proteins in endothelial cells. The expression levels of cell cycle protein D1 (Cyclin D1) and mRNA levels of cyclin dependent protein kinase 4 (CDK4) in smooth muscle cells were restrained by CD59 and C-PC. CD59 or C-PC alone could inhibit the formation of atherosclerotic plaque by suppressing MMP-2 protein expression. In addition, C-PC could promote CD59 expression. So both CD59 and C-PC could inhibit the progress of atherosclerosis, and the anti-atherosclerotic effects of C-PC might be fulfilled by promoting CD59 expression, preventing smooth muscle cell proliferation and the apoptosis of endothelial cells, reducing blood fat levels, and at last inhibiting the development of atherosclerosis.
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PMID:CD59 underlines the antiatherosclerotic effects of C-phycocyanin on mice. 2431 87


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