Atherosclerosis is enhanced by testosterone deficiency and attenuated by CETP expression in transgenic mice

J Lipid Res. 2006 Jul;47(7):1526-34. doi: 10.1194/jlr.M600135-JLR200. Epub 2006 Apr 7.

Abstract

In this work, we investigated the impact of testosterone deficiency and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) expression on lipoprotein metabolism and diet-induced atherosclerosis. CETP transgenic mice and nontransgenic (nTg) littermates were studied 4 weeks after bilateral orchidectomy or sham operation. Castrated mice had an increase in the LDL fraction (+36% for CETP and +79% for nTg mice), whereas the HDL fraction was reduced (-30% for CETP and -11% for nTg mice). Castrated mice presented 1.7-fold higher titers of anti-oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) antibodies than sham-operated controls. Plasma levels of CETP, lipoprotein lipase, and hepatic lipase were not changed by castration. Kinetic studies showed no differences in VLDL secretion rate, VLDL-LDL conversion rate, or number of LDL and HDL receptors. Competition experiments showed lower affinity of LDL from castrated mice for tissue receptors. Diet-induced atherosclerosis studies showed that testosterone deficiency increased by 100%, and CETP expression reduced by 44%, the size of aortic lesion area in castrated mice. In summary, testosterone deficiency increased plasma levels of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins (apoB-LPs) and anti-OxLDL antibodies, decreased LDL receptor affinity, and doubled the size of diet-induced atherosclerotic lesions. The expression of CETP led to a milder increase of apoB-LPs and reduced atherosclerotic lesion size in testosterone-deficient mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Atherosclerosis / etiology*
  • Atherosclerosis / genetics
  • Atherosclerosis / metabolism
  • Atherosclerosis / prevention & control*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Cholesterol Ester Transfer Proteins
  • Diet, Atherogenic
  • Gene Expression
  • Glycoproteins / genetics*
  • Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lipids / blood
  • Lipoproteins / blood
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Orchiectomy
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Testosterone / deficiency*

Substances

  • CETP protein, human
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cholesterol Ester Transfer Proteins
  • Glycoproteins
  • Lipids
  • Lipoproteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Testosterone