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Inhibition of Tumor Necrosis Factor-{alpha} Reduces Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E Knockout Mice.

Author

Summary, in English

Objective - Inflammation plays an important role in atherosclerosis. One of the most potent pro-inflammatory cytokines is tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a cytokine identified to have a pathogenic role in chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis ( RA). The aim of the study was to evaluate the importance of TNF-alpha in atherogenesis. Methods and Results - Mice deficient in both apolipoprotein E (apoE) and TNF-alpha were compared regarding their atherosclerotic burden. Mice were fed a Western-style diet (WD) or normal chow. Mice deficient in both apoE and TNF-alpha exhibited a 50% ( P = 0.035) reduction of relative lesion size after 10 weeks of WD. Bone marrow transplantation of apoEo mice with apoE(o)tnf-alpha(o) bone marrow resulted in a 83% ( P = 0.021) reduction after 25 weeks on WD. In apoE knockout mice treated with recombinant soluble TNF receptor I releasing pellets, there was a reduction in relative lesion size after 25 weeks of 75% ( P = 0.018). Conclusions - These findings demonstrate that TNF-alpha is actively involved in the progression of atherosclerosis. Accordingly, TNF-alpha represents a possible target for prevention of atherosclerosis. This may be of particular importance in rheumatoid arthritis because these patients have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

Publishing year

2004

Language

English

Pages

2137-2142

Publication/Series

Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology

Volume

24

Issue

11

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Topic

  • Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems

Keywords

  • atherosclerosis
  • TNF-alpha
  • genetically altered mice

Status

Published

Research group

  • Cardiovascular Research - Immunity and Atherosclerosis

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1524-4636