adenosine-kinase and Aortic-Diseases

Objective- Monocyte-derived foam cells are one of the key players in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Adenosine receptors and extracellular adenosine have been demonstrated to modulate foam cell formation. ADK (adenosine kinase) is a major enzyme regulating intracellular adenosine levels, but its functional role in myeloid cells remains poorly understood. To enhance intracellular adenosine levels in myeloid cells, ADK was selectively deleted in novel transgenic mice using Cre-LoxP technology, and foam cell formation and the development of atherosclerotic lesions were determined. Approach and Results- ADK was upregulated in macrophages on ox-LDL (oxidized low-density lipoprotein) treatment in vitro and was highly expressed in foam cells in atherosclerotic plaques. Atherosclerotic mice deficient in ADK in myeloid cells were generated by breeding floxed ADK (ADK

Topics: Adenosine Kinase; Animals; Aorta; Aortic Diseases; Atherosclerosis; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 1; Cells, Cultured; Cholesterol; Disease Models, Animal; DNA Methylation; Epigenesis, Genetic; Female; Foam Cells; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout, ApoE; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Signal Transduction