Hyperlipidemias: Poelmann RE

DeRuiter MC, Alkemade FE, Gittenberger-de Groot AC, Poelmann RE, Havekes LM, van Dijk KW. · Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. · Curr Opin Lipidol. · Pubmed #18607178 No free full text.

Abstract: PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In the last 20 years, an increasing amount of epidemiological and pathological evidence has become available illustrating the relationship between an adverse in-utero environment and increased risk of vascular disease in the offspring. It is now generally accepted that epigenetic phenomena, such as either DNA methylation or chromatin modifications or both mediate the long-term memory and thus developmental programming of cells and tissues. RECENT FINDINGS: In utero, the placenta and fetus are exposed to the metabolic, antioxidant and pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signals from the mother and will likely respond specifically. In the fetus, these responses may lead to permanent changes either in DNA methylation or chromatin modification or both and these changes may lead to increased atherosclerosis susceptibility in adulthood. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the translation of an adverse maternal environment into permanent epigenetic changes are poorly understood. SUMMARY: In this review, we briefly summarize the possible signals crossing the placental barrier and discuss the molecular mechanisms of epigenetic programming in the developing fetus leading to increased athero-susceptibility of the vessel wall.

Alkemade FE, Gittenberger-de Groot AC, Schiel AE, VanMunsteren JC, Hogers B, van Vliet LS, Poelmann RE, Havekes LM, Willems van Dijk K, DeRuiter MC. · Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. · Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. · Pubmed #17656671 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Maternal hypercholesterolemia is associated with a higher incidence and faster progression of atherosclerotic lesions in neonatal offspring. We aimed to determine whether an in utero environment exposing a fetus to maternal hypercholesterolemia and associated risk factors can prime the murine vessel wall to accelerated development of cardiovascular disease in adult life. METHODS AND RESULTS: To investigate the epigenetic effect in utero, we generated genetically identical heterozygous apolipoprotein E-deficient progeny from mothers with a wild-type or apolipoprotein E-deficient background. A significant increase in loss of endothelial cell volume was observed in the carotid arteries of fetuses of apolipoprotein E-deficient mothers, but fatty streak formation was absent. Spontaneous atherosclerosis development was absent in the aorta and carotid arteries in adult life. We unilaterally placed a constrictive collar around the carotid artery to induce lesion formation. In offspring from apolipoprotein E-deficient mothers, collar placement resulted in severe neointima formation in 9 of 10 mice analyzed compared with only minor lesion volume (2 of 10) in the progeny of wild-type mothers. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the susceptibility to neointima formation of morphologically normal adult arteries is already imprinted during prenatal development and manifests itself in the presence of additional atherogenic risk factors in adult life. Future research will concentrate on the mechanisms involved in this priming process, as well as on prevention strategies.