Partial carotid ligation is a model of acutely induced disturbed flow, leading to rapid endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis.

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is closely associated with disturbed flow characterized by low and oscillatory shear stress, but studies directly linking disturbed flow to atherogenesis is lacking. The major reason for this has been a lack of an animal model in which disturbed flow can be acutely induced and cause atherosclerosis. Here, we characterize partial carotid ligation as a model of disturbed flow with characteristics of low and oscillatory wall shear stress. We also describe a method of isolating intimal RNA in sufficient quantity from mouse carotid arteries. Using this model and method, we found that partial ligation causes upregulation of proatherogenic genes, downregulation of antiatherogenic genes, endothelial dysfunction, and rapid atherosclerosis in 2 wk in a p47(phox)-dependent manner and advanced lesions by 4 wk. We found that partial ligation results in endothelial dysfunction, rapid atherosclerosis, and advanced lesion development in a physiologically relevant model of disturbed flow. It also allows for easy and rapid intimal RNA isolation. This novel model and method could be used for genome-wide studies to determine molecular mechanisms underlying flow-dependent regulation of vascular biology and diseases.

• Authors: Douglas Nam, Chih-Wen Ni, Amir Rezvan, Jin Suo, Klaudia Budzyn, Alexander Llanos, David Harrison, Don Giddens, Hanjoong Jo
• Journal: American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology (Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol) Vol. 297 Issue 4 Pg. H1535-43 (Oct 2009) ISSN: 1522-1539 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19684185 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Apolipoproteins E
• Dietary Fats
• Vasodilator Agents
• Superoxides
• RNA
• NADPH Oxidases
• neutrophil cytosolic factor 1

Topics

• Animals
• Apolipoproteins E (deficiency, genetics)
• Carotid Arteries (drug effects, metabolism, pathology, physiopathology, surgery)
• Carotid Artery Diseases (etiology, genetics, pathology, physiopathology)
• Computer Simulation
• Dietary Fats (administration & dosage)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Disease Progression
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Endothelium, Vascular (drug effects, pathology, physiopathology)
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation
• Ligation
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Mice, Knockout
• Models, Cardiovascular
• NADPH Oxidases (deficiency, genetics)
• RNA (isolation & purification)
• Regional Blood Flow
• Stress, Mechanical
• Superoxides (metabolism)
• Time Factors
• Tunica Intima (metabolism, pathology, physiopathology)
• Vasodilation
• Vasodilator Agents (pharmacology)