Figure 1.

HIV protease inhibitors promote atherosclerotic lesion formation in male mice to a greater degree than female mice. LDL-R null mice were treated with vehicle (0.01% ethanol), amprenavir (23 μg/day) or ritonavir (10 μg/day) for 8 weeks. Following 8 weeks of treatment, aortas were removed and atherosclerotic lesions quantified. Females exhibited a smaller surface area of atherosclerotic lesions in both amprenavir and ritonavir treated animals. Bars represent mean +/- SEM, n = 8. * = significantly different from vehicle, p<0.05. # = significantly different from males in the same treatment group, p<0.05. Open bars represent male values and closed bars represent female values.