Endothelium-specific interference with peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma causes cerebral vascular dysfunction in response to a high-fat diet.

ABSTRACT: The ligand-activated transcription factor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is expressed in vascular endothelium where it exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, its role in regulating vascular function remains undefined. We examined endothelial function in transgenic mice expressing dominant-negative mutants of PPARgamma under the control of an endothelial-specific promoter to test the hypothesis that endothelial PPARgamma plays a protective role in the vasculature. Under baseline conditions, responses to the endothelium-dependent agonist acetylcholine were not affected in either aorta or the basilar artery in vitro. In response to feeding a high-fat diet for 12 weeks, acetylcholine produced dilation that was markedly impaired in the basilar a

SUBMITTER: Beyer AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2583077 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature