Chemokine and their Receptors in Atherosclerosis

Extensive research has been performed in mice to determine the factors involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (see Table 6.7). Two knock-out mouse strains were used apolipoprein E (ApoE ) mice that develop spontaneous atherosclerosis that progresses to myocardial infarction and stroke and LDL receptor (Ldlr ) mice that develop hypercholesterolemia and lesion development upon fat feeding [175]. Crossbreeding of this mice with mice that carry deletions in genes of the immune system indicate an essential role of chemokines and their receptors in the early phase of atherosclerosis (for excellent reviews, see [176, 177]). 

CCR2 CCL2 Presence of CCL2 in human atherosclerotic lesions ApoE CCR2 (less development of disease) Ldlr CCL2 (less development of disease) 

CXCR3 CXCL9, CXCLIO, CXCLll Presence of CXCR3 in human disease CXCR3 antagonist (attenuation of lesion formation) ApoE CXCR3 (less development of disease) 

CXCR4 CXCL12 AMD3465 in ApoE Ldlr mice (increased neutro in blood) Increased plaque instability 

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