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Horm Metab Res 2007; 39(11): 801-805
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-991158
Original Basic

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Low-density Lipoproteins Induce the Renin-Angiotensin System and their Receptors in Human Endothelial Cells

R. A. Catar 1 , G. Müller 1 , J. Heidler 1 , G. Schmitz 2 , S. R. Bornstein 3 , H. Morawietz 1
  • 1Department of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation, Medical Clinic and Policlinic III, University of Technology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
  • 2Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
  • 3Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Medical Clinic and Policlinic III, University of Technology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

received 11.12.2006

accepted 23.04.2007

Publication Date:
09 November 2007 (online)

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Abstract

Increased levels of low-density lipoproteins are well-established risk factors of endothelial dysfunction and the metabolic syndrome. In this study, we evaluated the effect of native low-density lipoprotein (nLDL) and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) on the expression of genes of the renin-angiotensin system (angiotensin-converting enzyme, ACE; angiotensin II type 1 receptor, AT1) and their receptors (low-density lipoprotein receptor: LDLR; lectin-like oxLDL receptor: LOX-1; toll-like receptor 4: TLR4) in primary cultures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. ACE and AT1 expressions were significantly increased after stimulation with nLDL and oxLDL. OxLDL receptor LOX-1 showed a maximum induction after 7 hours. Increased LOX-1 protein expression in response to oxLDL could be blocked by a LOX-1-specific antibody. TLR4 expression was increased by nLDL and oxLDL as well. We conclude that LDL and oxLDL can activate the renin-angiotensin system and their receptors LDLR, LOX-1, and TLR4 in human endothelial cells. These data suggest a novel link between hypercholesterolemia and hypertension in patients with the metabolic syndrome.

Key words

endothelial cells - low-density lipoprotein - oxLDL receptor - renin-angiotensin system

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Correspondence

H. MorawietzPhD 

University of Technology Dresden

Carl Gustav Carus Medical School

Medical Clinic and Policlinic III

Department of Vascular Endothelium and Microcirculation

Fetscherstrasse 74

01307 Dresden

Germany

Phone: +49/351/458 66 25

Fax: +49/351/458 63 54

Email: Henning.Morawietz@tu-dresden.de