NPRC deletion mitigated atherosclerosis by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in ApoE knockout mice

Abstract Previous studies suggested a beneficial effect of natriuretic peptides in animal models of cardiovascular disease, but the role of natriuretic peptide receptor C (NPRC) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (AS) remains unknown. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that NPRC may promote AS lesion formation and instability by enhancing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis via protein kinase A (PKA) signaling. ApoE −/− mice were fed chow or Western diet for 12 weeks and NPRC expression was significantly increased in the aortic tissues of Western diet-fed mice. Systemic NPRC knockout mice were crossed with ApoE −/− mice to generate ApoE −/− NPRC −/− mice, and NPRC deletion resulted in a significant decrease in the size and instability of…