ABSTRACT
Objective:To study the effects of pioglitazone on atherosclerosis on ApoE-/-mice,and to investigate the roles of adiponectin and its receptors.Methods:ApoE-/-mice were fed with high-fat chow for the induction of atherosclerosis and were divided into three subgroups:placebo(n=10),low-dose[10 mg/(kg?d),n=10] pioglitazone therapy,and high-dose[20 mg/(kg?d),n=10] pioglitazone therapy.C57BL/6J wild type mice(n=9) were used as control.Aortic atherosclerosis and intima-media thickness(intima-media thickness,IMT) of abdominal aorta were monitored,and plasma adiponectin was also measured.Expression levels of the adiponectin receptor 1(AdipoR1)and adiponectin receptor 2(AdipoR2) in vessels were analyzed(RT-PCR).Results:(1) Aortic atherosclerotic lesions were observed in ApoE-/-mice but not in wild type mice.Interestingly,these lesions were significantly prevented by high-dose pioglitazone therapy.Compared with wild type mice,ApoE-/-mice had increased IMT of abdominal aorta [(0.290?0.063 vs 0.178?0.012) cm,P
