ICAM-1 Deficiency Reduces Atherosclerotic Lesions in Double-Knockout Mice (ApoE/−/ICAM-1/−) Fed a Fat or a Chow Diet

MC Bourdillon, RN Poston, C Covacho… - … , and vascular biology, 2000 - Am Heart Assoc
MC Bourdillon, RN Poston, C Covacho, E Chignier, G Bricca, JL McGregor
Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 2000Am Heart Assoc
Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, a major adhesion molecule, plays a critical role in
the homing of leukocytes to sites of atherosclerotic lesions. However, very little is known on
the role of ICAM-1 in initiating and perpetuating vascular lesions in ApoE−/− mice fed a
chow or a fat diet. This study has investigated the mean aortic lesions in mice (C57BL6
background) with a single-knockout (ApoE−/−) or double-knockout (DKO; ApoE−/−, ICAM-
1−/−) fed a chow or a fat diet over a period of 3, 6, 15, and 20 weeks. A 3-fold reduction in …
Abstract
—Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, a major adhesion molecule, plays a critical role in the homing of leukocytes to sites of atherosclerotic lesions. However, very little is known on the role of ICAM-1 in initiating and perpetuating vascular lesions in ApoE/− mice fed a chow or a fat diet. This study has investigated the mean aortic lesions in mice (C57BL6 background) with a single-knockout (ApoE/−) or double-knockout (DKO; ApoE/−, ICAM-1/−) fed a chow or a fat diet over a period of 3, 6, 15, and 20 weeks. A 3-fold reduction in lesion size was observed at all time points in DKO mice fed a chow diet. However, in DKO mice fed a fat diet, a marked reduction in the aortic lesion was observed at 3 and 15 weeks, which did not reach a significant level at 6 and 20 weeks. This study shows in essence that DKO mice are protected from developing significant lesions for up to 6 weeks when fed a chow diet and from 3 to 6 weeks when fed a fat diet. After 6 weeks, the lesion size of the DKO mice follows that of the single-knockout mice when fed a chow diet and gets to the same level in mice fed a fat diet. Plasma cholesterol levels were not altered as a result of ICAM-1 deficiency. These studies show that ICAM-1 is implicated in the formation and progression of atherosclerotic lesions.
Am Heart Assoc