Low-Density Lipoprotein in Hypercholesterolemic Human Plasma Induces Vascular Endothelial Cell Apoptosis by Inhibiting Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 Transcription

Abstract

Our findings indicate that a highly electronegative, mildly oxidized LDL subfraction present in human hypercholesterolemic but not normolipidemic plasma can induce apoptosis in cultured ECs. The evidence that a freshly isolated LDL species modulates transcription of FGF-2 may provide a physiological insight into the mechanism of vascular EC apoptosis in hypercholesterolemia.