Novel function of histamine in atherosclerotic artery

用apoE-H1 R-KO、apoE-H2 R-KO和apoE-HDC-KO小鼠研究动脉壁中组胺信号传导与动脉粥样硬化形成的关系。采用高胆固醇饲料（1.25%胆固醇、15%猪油和0.5%胆酸）喂养小鼠12周，观察小鼠睾丸组织病理学变化及炎症相关基因表达。即使高胆固醇饮食在apoE-H2 R-KO和apoE-HDC-KO小鼠中诱导了更高的高胆固醇血症，这些KO小鼠中动脉粥样硬化病变的形成和许多炎症相关基因的表达比apoE-KO小鼠减少。H2受体介导的组胺信号通过调节血管壁的炎症反应在动脉粥样硬化的形成中起着关键作用。

The relation of histamine signaling in the arterial wall and atherogenesis was investigated using apoE-H1R-KO, apoE-H2R-KO and apoE-HDC-KO mice. The mice were fed by high cholesterol diet (1.25% cholesterol, 15% lard and 0.5% cholic acid) for 12 weeks, and pathological examination and expression of inflammation-related genes were evaluated in the aortas. Even the high cholesterol diet induced much higher hypercholesterolemia in apoE-H2R-KO and apoE-HDC-KO mice, the atherosclerotic lesion formation and expression of many inflammation-related genes were reduced in these KO mice than in apoE-KO mice. The histamine signaling mediated through H2 receptor would play a pivotal role in atherogenesis by regulating the inflammatory response in the vascular wall.