biostudies-literatureUnknown72(4)Matsuo HHypertension and atherosclerosis are often found in one patient causing serious cardiovascular events. An animal model simultaneously expressing hypertension and atherosclerosis would be useful to study such a complex risk status. We therefore attempted to introduce a null mutation of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene into the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) using CRISPR/Cas9 to establish a genetic model for atherosclerosis with hypertension. We successfully established SHR^ApoE(-/-) having a 13-bps deletion in the 5'-end of ApoE gene. Deletion of ApoE protein was confirmed by Western blotting. Blood pressure of SHR^ApoE(-/-) was comparable to that of SHR. Feeding the rats with high fat high cholesterol diet (HFD) caused a significant increase in LDL cholesterol as Experimental animals439-445https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10658095biostudies-literatureApolipoprotein E-depletion accelerates arterial fat deposition in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.PMC10658095Mashimo TMatsuo HKawakami KYamada TNabika TKaneko TOhara HfalseApolipoprotein E-depletion accelerates arterial fat deposition in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.Hypertension and atherosclerosis are often found in one patient causing serious cardiovascular events. An animal model simultaneously expressing hypertension and atherosclerosis would be useful to study such a complex risk status. We therefore attempted to introduce a null mutation of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene into the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) using CRISPR/Cas9 to establish a genetic model for atherosclerosis with hypertension. We successfully established SHR^ApoE(-/-) having a 13-bps deletion in the 5'-end of ApoE gene. Deletion of ApoE protein was confirmed by Western blotting. Blood pressure of SHR^ApoE(-/-) was comparable to that of SHR. Feeding the rats with high fat high cholesterol diet (HFD) caused a significant increase in LDL cholesterol as 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Nov2025-04-04T12:18:11.459Z2025-04-04T12:18:11.459ZS-EPMC106580953708164410.1538/expanim.23-0012