Published online 17 April 2000.
© The Rockefeller University Press, 0022-1007/2000/4/1437/ $5.00
The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Volume 191, Number 8, April 17, 2000 1437-1442
Infectious Agents Are Not Necessary for Murine Atherogenesis
Samuel D. Wrighta,
Charlotte Burtona,
Melba Hernandeza,
Heide Hassinga,
Judy Montenegroa,
Steve Mundta,
Sushma Patela,
Deborah J. Carda,
Anne Hermanowski-Vosatkaa,
James D. Bergstroma,
Carl P. Sparrowa,
Patricia A. Detmersa, and
Yu-Sheng Chaoa
a Department of Lipid Biochemsitry, Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, New Jersey 07065
Merck Research Laboratories, Lipid Biochemistry, P.O. Box 2000, RY80W-250, 126 E. Lincoln Ave., Rahway, NJ 07065.732-594-1169732-594-3086
samuel_wright{at}merck.com
Recent work has revealed correlations between bacterial or viral infections and atherosclerotic disease. One particular bacterium, Chlamydia pneumoniae, has been observed at high frequency in human atherosclerotic lesions, prompting the hypothesis that infectious agents may be necessary for the initiation or progression of atherosclerosis. To determine if responses to gram-negative bacteria are necessary for atherogenesis, we first bred atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein (apo) E–/– (deficient) mice with animals incapable of responding to bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Atherogenesis was unaffected in doubly deficient animals. We further tested the role of infectious agents by creating a colony of germ-free apo E–/– mice. These animals are free of all microbial agents (bacterial, viral, and fungal). Atherosclerosis in germ-free animals was not measurably different from that in animals raised with ambient levels of microbial challenge. These studies show that infection is not necessary for murine atherosclerosis and that, unlike peptic ulcer, Koch's postulates cannot be fulfilled for any infectious agent in atherosclerosis.
Key Words: atherosclerosis apolipoprotein E knockout germ-free animal Toll cholesterol
© 2000 The Rockefeller University Press

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