查看文章

Background— Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathways have been reported to exert anti-inflammatory effects and attenuate atherosclerosis formation. However, the mechanisms responsible for their anti-inflammatory and antiatherosclerotic effects remain largely unknown. The present study tested the hypothesis that a PPARγ agonist may exert significant endothelial protection by antioxidative and antinitrative effects.

Methods and Results— Male New Zealand White rabbits were randomized to receive a normal (control) or a high-cholesterol diet and treated with vehicle or rosiglitazone (a PPARγ agonist) 3 mg · kg⁻¹ · d⁻¹ for 5 weeks beginning 3 weeks after the high-cholesterol diet. At the end of 8 weeks of a high-cholesterol diet, the rabbits were killed, and the carotid arteries were isolated. Bioactive nitric oxide was determined functionally (endothelium-dependent vasodilatation …