Delivery of Chlamydia pneumoniae to the vessel wall aggravates atherosclerosis in LDLr-/- mice
Open Access
- 1 January 2006
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Cardiovascular Research
- Vol. 69 (1) , 280-288
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardiores.2005.07.011
Abstract
Objective: The role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherosclerosis is still debated. In this study a novel mouse model was applied to determine the direct impact of C. pneumoniae on the arterial wall and the development of atherosclerosis. Methods: Direct effects of C. pneumoniae on collar-induced atherosclerosis were studied after local delivery of C. pneumoniae to carotid arteries of LDL receptor-deficient (LDLr-/-) mice. Results: The presence of C. pneumoniae in the vessel wall was quantified by RT-PCR (6.2 × 104 copies/artery) and resulted in a 2.0-fold increase in intima/media ratios (pppMycoplasma pneumoniae, to the carotids did not affect size or composition of the atherosclerotic lesions. Presence of C. pneumoniae in the carotid arteries resulted within 7 days in a marked upregulation of the expression of MCP-1 (pC. pneumoniae. Conclusions: We conclude that C. pneumoniae in carotid arteries leads to more pronounced atherosclerotic lesions with a more vulnerable morphology and that this model is suitable to monitor direct effects of C. pneumoniae on atherogenesis.Keywords
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