Atherogenesis Insights from the study of transgenic and gene-targeted mice

Owing to the investigative power of classical mouse genetics and the development of transgenic and gene-targeting technologies, the mouse has increasingly been used to study atherogenesis. Investigators have manipulated the plasma levels of several proteins involved in lipid metabolism through the engineering of mice and assessed the impact of these changes on the progression of murine atherogenesis. These studies have established causal relationships between the expression of defined genetic elements and atherosclerosis in a manner not feasible in humans. Studies of transgenic mice with genetically altered levels of apolipoproteins A-I, (a), and E have provided important insights into the in vivo role of these proteins in atherogenesis. These studies illustrate the potential to dissect the complex genetics of atherosclerosis susceptibility with the use of transgenic and gene-targeted mice.