Hepatic Overexpression of Soluble Urokinase Receptor (uPAR) Suppresses Diet-Induced Atherosclerosis in Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Deficient (LDLR-/-) Mice.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease, arises from metabolic disorders and is driven by inappropriate recruitment and proliferation of monocytes / macrophages and vascular smooth-muscle-cells. The receptor for the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPAR, Plaur) regulates the proteolytic activation of plasminogen. It is also a coactivator of integrins and facilitates leukocyte-endothelial interactions and vascular smooth-muscle-cell migration. The role of uPAR in atherogenesis remains elusive.

Methods and results

We generated C57Bl6/J low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL) and uPAR double knockout (uPAR-/-/LDLR-/-) mice to test the role of uPAR in two distinct atherosclerosis models. In LDLR-/- mice, hepatic overexpression following hydrodynamic transfe

SUBMITTER: Larmann J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4551736 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature