Deficiency of endogenous acute phase serum amyloid a does not affect atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein E–deficient mice

MC De Beer, JM Wroblewski… - … , and vascular biology, 2014 - Am Heart Assoc
MC De Beer, JM Wroblewski, VP Noffsinger, DL Rateri, DA Howatt, A Balakrishnan, A Ji…
Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 2014Am Heart Assoc
Objective—Although elevated plasma concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA) are
associated strongly with increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in
humans, the role of SAA in the pathogenesis of lesion formation remains obscure. Our goal
was to determine the impact of SAA deficiency on atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic
mice. Approach and Results—Apolipoprotein E–deficient (apoE−/−) mice, either wild type or
deficient in both major acute phase SAA isoforms, SAA1. 1 and SAA2. 1, were fed a normal …
Objective
Although elevated plasma concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA) are associated strongly with increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in humans, the role of SAA in the pathogenesis of lesion formation remains obscure. Our goal was to determine the impact of SAA deficiency on atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic mice.
Approach and Results
Apolipoprotein E–deficient (apoE−/−) mice, either wild type or deficient in both major acute phase SAA isoforms, SAA1.1 and SAA2.1, were fed a normal rodent diet for 50 weeks. Female mice, but not male apoE−/− mice deficient in SAA1.1 and SAA2.1, had a modest increase (22%; P≤0.05) in plasma cholesterol concentrations and a 53% increase in adipose mass compared with apoE−/− mice expressing SAA1.1 and SAA2.1 that did not affect the plasma cytokine levels or the expression of adipose tissue inflammatory markers. SAA deficiency did not affect lipoprotein cholesterol distributions or plasma triglyceride concentrations in either male or female mice. Atherosclerotic lesion areas measured on the intimal surfaces of the arch, thoracic, and abdominal regions were not significantly different between apoE−/− mice deficient in SAA1.1 and SAA2.1 and apoE−/− mice expressing SAA1.1 and SAA2.1 in either sex. To accelerate lesion formation, mice were fed a Western diet for 12 weeks. SAA deficiency had effect neither on diet-induced alterations in plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, or cytokine concentrations nor on aortic atherosclerotic lesion areas in either male or female mice. In addition, SAA deficiency in male mice had no effect on lesion areas or macrophage accumulation in the aortic roots.
Conclusions
The absence of endogenous SAA1.1 and 2.1 does not affect atherosclerotic lipid deposition in apolipoprotein E–deficient mice fed either normal or Western diets.
Am Heart Assoc