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Human
Brachiocephalic Artery Endothelial Cells (HBcAEC)
are primary endothelial cells isolated from normal
brachiocephalic arteries and are cryopreserved at
third passage. HBcAEC can be propagated at least 12
doublings. The brachiocephalic artery is the first
branch from the aortic arch. HBcAEC
provide an in vitro system to explore in vivo
findings. Apolipoprotein E (apoE)
knockout mice serve as a model for atherosclerotic
lesion development, as fibrous plaques commonly form
in the brachiocephalic artery after 6 months of a
high-fat diet, thus providing a small well-defined
area in which to study the progressive loss of
plaque stability and eventual rupture1,2,3.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been
implicated in the formation of plaques in the
brachiocephalic artery4 and the carotid
artery5. In vitro models
demonstrate that addition of homocysteine leads to
endothelial cell damage6,7, and
hyperhomocyteinemia is a risk factor for premature
coronary artery, peripheral vascular, and
cerebrovascular disease8,9.
1.
Williams, H et al., Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol.
22(5):788 (2002).
2.
Rosenfeld, ME et al., Cur Atheroscler Rep. 4(3):238
(2002).
3.
Johnson, JL & Jackson, CL. Atherosclerosis.
154(2):399 (2001).
4.
Johnson, JL et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA.
102(43):15575 (2005).
5.
Abilleira, S et al., J Med Genet. 43(12):897 (2006).
6.
McCully, KS. Nat Med. 2(4):386 (1996).
7.
Wall, RT et al., Thromb Res. 18(1-2):113 (1980).
8.
Stamler, JS et al., J Clin Invest. 91(1):308 (1993).
9.
Woo, KS et al., Circulation. 96(8):2542 (1997).
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