%0 Journal Article
%T Differential mRNA expression of seven genes involved in cholesterol metabolism and transport in the liver of atherosclerosis-susceptible and -resistant Japanese quail strains
%A Xinrui Li
%A Patricia Schulte
%A David V Godin
%A Kimberly M Cheng
%J Genetics Selection Evolution
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1297-9686-44-20
%X A factorial study with both strains (atherosclerosis-susceptible versus atherosclerosis-resistant) and two diets (control versus cholesterol) was carried out. The mRNA concentrations of four genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis (HMGCR, FDFT1, SQLE and DHCR7) and three genes in cholesterol transport (ABCG5, ABCG8 and APOA1) were assayed using real-time quantitative PCR. Plasma lipids were also assayed.Expression of ABCG5 (control diet) and ABCG8 (regardless of dietary treatment) and expression of HMGCR, FDFT1 and SQLE (regardless of dietary treatment) were significantly higher in the atherosclerosis-resistant than in the atherosclerosis-susceptible strain. Plasma triglyceride and LDL levels, and LDL/HDL ratio were significantly higher in the atherosclerosis-susceptible than in the atherosclerosis-resistant strain fed the cholesterol diet. In the atherosclerosis-susceptible strain, ABCG5 expression regressed significantly and positively on plasma LDL level, whereas DHCR7 and SQLE expression regressed significantly and negatively on plasma triglyceride level.Our results provide support for the hypothesis that the atherosclerosis-resistant strain metabolizes and excretes cholesterol faster than the atherosclerosis-susceptible strain. We have also demonstrated that these quail strains are a useful model to study cholesterol metabolism and transport in relation with atherosclerosis.Atherosclerosis is a complex pathological process that is affected by both environmental and genetic factors; it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized societies [1,2]. Although surgical and medical treatments have progressed, current therapies that slow the formation of atherosclerotic plaques are not totally successful [2]. Therefore, it is necessary to continue investigating the fundamental mechanisms that cause atherosclerosis to develop more effective forms of treatment e.g. [3].Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) was first used as a research model for atheroscl
%U http://www.gsejournal.org/content/44/1/20