Figure 2.

Combined therapy of dietary fish oil and SCD1 ASO synergistically improves hyperlipidemia in LDLr^−/−, ApoB^100/100 mice. Starting at six weeks of age, male mice were fed diets containing 0.1% (w/w) cholesterol enriched in either saturated (Sat.) or long chain ω-3 fatty acids (Fish) for 20 weeks in conjunction with biweekly injections (25 mg/kg) of a non-targeting control ASO (Control) or SCD1 ASO (SCD1). Plasma samples were collected at baseline (6 weeks of age), and after 4, 8, or 20 weeks of diet and ASO treatment. Plasma triglycerides (A) and total plasma cholesterol (TPC) (B) were measured enzymatically. Data shown in panels (A) and (B) represents the mean ± SEM from 5–8 mice per group, * = significantly different than the saturated diet fed control ASO treated group, within each time point (p<0.05). Panels C–E represents cholesterol levels in very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDLc), low-density lipoproteins (LDLc), and high-density lipoproteins (HDLc) in mice receiving dietary and ASO treatment for 20 weeks. Data shown in panel C–E represent the mean ± SEM from 6 mice per group, and values not sharing a common superscript differ significantly (p<0.05). F. Fatty acid (FA) composition [% of total FA as saturated or long chain ω-3 (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic) fatty acids] of LDL cholesteryl esters (LDL CE-FA). Data shown in panel (F) represents the mean ± SEM (n=5 per group), and values not sharing a common superscript differ significantly (p<0.05).