Our long term goal is to identify molecular mechanisms for the onset of accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes mellitus. This will be accomplished by studying animal models susceptible to both diabetes and atherosclerosis. During the previous grant period, we developed new mouse models, which show remarkable changes at the artery wall due to diabetes. BALB and BALB.LDLR-/- mice develop vascular lesions which are accelerted by hyperglycemia but are independent of changes in plasma lipids. In contrast, C57BL/6 and C57BL/6.LDLR-/- develop lesions which are not reflective of hyperglycemia. We use this genetic difference to test the hypothesis that hyperglycemia modulates the expression and/or function of specific genes causing diabetic macrovascular disease, in three aims:
Aim 1 : Identify major gene(s) determining the increased atherosclerosis in response to hyperglycemia. We use microarray technology coupled to mouse genetics for validation to identify such genes.
Aim 2 : Determine the role of specific candidate gene pathways in diabetic vascular disease. We study candidate proteins of perlecan, MMP-9 and MMP-13, and connexins 43 and 45 in our mouse system.
Aim 3 : Determine whether interventions aimed at reducing oxidative stress or protease activity can protect BALB from diabetic vascular disease. Anti-oxidant diets and diets containing synthetic protease ihibitors are used to test the general role of these pathways in diabetic vascular disease. Together, this information will provide potential gene targets for future prediction and treatment of diabetic macrovascular disease in humans
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