Effect of hyperlipidemia on endothelial VCAM-1 expression and the protective role of fenofibrate

The effect of hyperlipidemia and inflammation on endothelial functions was studied.The enrolled included control(basic chow),hyperlipidemia and fenofibrate-treated groups(high fat diet).The hyperlipidemia model was set up by four-week atherogenic diet,followed by a 16-week treat-ment in the fenofibrate-treated group(fenofibrate 40 mg/kg every day)and without treatment in the hyperlipidemia group,respectively.In the 20th week,serum lipid level and NO levels were measured,and the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1)and cell adhesiveness in aortic endothelia observed by computer-aided system.Com-pared with the control group,hyperlipidemia rats showed lower levels of NO and increases in leukocyte accumulation on the endothelial surface,also stronger and more extensive endothelial expression of VCAM-1.In fenofibrate-treated group,the expression of VCAM-1 and leukocyte accumula-tion on the endothelial surface was decreased,while serum levels of NO were increased as compared with hyperlipidemia group.Hyperlipidemia can inhibit the NO activity and pro-mote the damage of VACA-1 to aortic endothelia.Fenofibrate can effectively prevent the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by restoring NO levels and down-regulating the VCAM-1 expression.