Abstract |
Immune system modulates atherosclerosis and immunization using homologous LDL reduces atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic animals. The nature of athero-protective antigenic epitopes in LDL remains unclear. We have recently identified nearly a 100 antigenic epitopes in human apo B-100 and in this study we evaluated the effects of immunization with two such epitopes on atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic apo E (-/-) mice. Male apo E (-/-) mice were immunized at 6-7 weeks of age with two different apo B-100 related peptide sequences using alum as adjuvant and mice immunized with alum alone served as controls. Peptide-2 immunization reduced aortic atherosclerosis by 40% and plaque inflammation by 80% compared to controls without a reduction in circulating cholesterol levels whereas Peptide-1 immunization had no effect. Peptide-2 immunization also reduced the progression of aortic lesions when mice were immunized at 16 weeks of age, suggesting the possibility of immuno-modulation in treating established atherosclerosis. The athero-protective effect of Peptide-2 immunization was absent in splenectomized mice but could be conveyed to non-immunized mice via adoptive transfer of splenocytes from peptide-2 immunized mice. In conclusion, immunization with a specific apo B-100 related peptide sequence reduces aortic atherosclerosis and plaque inflammation. Such acquired immunity and athero-protective effect appears to be mediated by splenocytes. These data demonstrate the feasibility of peptide based immunomodulating therapy for atherosclerosis.
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Authors | Kuang-Yuh Chyu, Xiaoning Zhao, Odette S Reyes, Stephanie M Babbidge, Paul C Dimayuga, Juliana Yano, Bojan Cercek, Gunilla Nordin Fredrikson, Jan Nilsson, Prediman K Shah |
Journal | Biochemical and biophysical research communications
(Biochem Biophys Res Commun)
Vol. 338
Issue 4
Pg. 1982-9
(Dec 30 2005)
ISSN: 0006-291X [Print] United States |
PMID | 16288717
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Apolipoprotein B-100
- Apolipoproteins B
- Apolipoproteins E
- Epitopes
- Cholesterol
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Topics |
- Adoptive Transfer
- Animals
- Apolipoprotein B-100
- Apolipoproteins B
(immunology)
- Apolipoproteins E
(deficiency)
- Atherosclerosis
(pathology, prevention & control, therapy)
- Cholesterol
(blood)
- Epitopes
(immunology)
- Hypercholesterolemia
(immunology, pathology)
- Immunization
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive
- Inflammation
(therapy)
- Male
- Mice
- Spleen
(cytology)
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