HDL Improves Cholesterol and Glucose Homeostasis and Reduces Atherosclerosis in Diabetes-Associated Atherosclerosis

Figure 2

HDL reduces plasma cholesterol levels and atherosclerotic plaque in Western diet-fed Trail^-/-Apoe^-/- mice. Trail^-/-Apoe^-/- and Apoe^-/- mice were fed a high-fat Western diet for 12 weeks. In the last 2 weeks of the study, mice received 3 weekly infusions of either rHDL (20 mg/kg) or PBS. (a) Fasting plasma cholesterol (-10) and (b) triacylglycerol levels () at euthanasia. rHDL reduced hepatic mRNA expression for (c) Srebp1 and (d) Ldlr in 12 w Trail^-/-Apoe^-/- mice. mRNA was extracted from liver as described in Methods. mRNA expression was normalised to 18S; -7. (e) Right panel: representative cross-section of brachiocephalic arteries stained with haematoxylin and eosin (10x magnification). Left panel: quantification of plaque area. No change in (f) medial or (g) necrotic areas was observed (-11). Results are expressed as ; and , Mann–Whitney -test used in all conditions. rHDL: reconstituted high-density lipoprotein.