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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Myeloid-Specific Pck1 Deficiency Does Not Alter Aortic Root Atherosclerosis in Mice
Background:
We previously performed a strain intercross between atherosclerosis resistant AKR Apoe -/- mice and atherosclerosis sensitive DBA/2 Apoe -/- mice and identified the Ath28 quantitative trait locus (QTL) on the distal end of chromosome 2. Congenic strain fine mapping identified the Ath28 . 1 QTL atherosclerosis modifying subregion, encompassing 217 Kb, containing for only three protein-coding genes, Zbp1, Pck1 , and Pmepa1 , encoding respectively, Z-DNA binding protein 1, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1, and prostate transmembrane protein androgen induced 1.
Methods:
The effect of macrophage-specific knockout of Pck1 (KO) was tested using the AAV2 transduced proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) overexpression mouse model of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.
Results:
Unexpectedly, macrophage Pck1 deficiency lowered body weight, liver weight, and HDL-cholesterol levels in both sexes, while total and non-HDL cholesterol levels were only decreased in male mice. Aortic root lesion area and necrotic lesion area were unchanged in KO mice of both sexes.
Conclusion:
Pck1 was not confirmed as an atherosclerosis modifier gene.
