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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
06:59
Quantification of Atherosclerosis in Mice
Published on: June 12, 2019
Cholesterol effects on endoglin and its downstream pathways in ApoE/LDLR double knockout mice
Zbynek Strasky1, Lenka Vecerova, Jana Rathouska
1Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.
Summary
A cholesterol-rich diet increases blood endoglin levels and aortic plaque size in mice. This diet also reduces key atherosclerosis-protective markers, suggesting endoglin
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Molecular Biology
- Atherosclerosis Research
Background:
- Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
- Endoglin (transforming growth factor-β-RIII) plays a role in vascular biology.
- ApoE/LDLR double knockout mice are a model for studying atherosclerosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of a cholesterol-rich diet on endoglin levels in blood.
- To examine the effect of a cholesterol-rich diet on endoglin-related pathways in the aorta.
- To assess the relationship between diet-induced hypercholesterolemia, endoglin, and atherosclerosis progression.
Main Methods:
- Mice were fed either a standard chow diet or a 1% cholesterol-rich diet.
- Biochemical analyses measured cholesterol and endoglin levels in serum.
- Aortic tissues were analyzed for lesion size, endoglin expression, and related signaling pathway components (ALK-1, p-Smad2, VEGF) using immunohistochemistry and Western blot.
Main Results:
- Cholesterol-rich diet significantly increased serum cholesterol and endoglin levels.
- Aortic plaque size was significantly increased in mice fed a cholesterol-rich diet.
- Cholesterol-rich diet led to decreased expression of endoglin (92%), ALK-1 (71%), p-Smad2 (21%), and VEGF (37%) in the aorta.
Conclusions:
- Hypercholesterolemia elevates serum endoglin while decreasing aortic endoglin expression and atherosclerosis-protective markers.
- Reduced endoglin signaling may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and atherogenesis.
- Serum endoglin levels could potentially serve as a biomarker for disease progression, though its source and function require further study.
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