Figure 5.

Exendin-4 has no effect on plasma antibodies against oxLDL, but reduces oxLDL-induced foam cell formation in peritoneal macrophages. After 5 weeks of feeding a Western-type diet containing 0.4% cholesterol, mice were treated with exendin-4 (50 μg·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹) or vehicle (PBS) s.c. for 4 weeks. Plasma anti-oxLDL antibodies were determined (A). Peritoneal macrophages were incubated with exendin-4 and/or exendin-(9–39) for 48 h. The uptake of [³H]-COEth-labelled oxLDL was quantified (B). After fixation, lipid accumulation into the cells was visualized by staining with Oil red O (C). Values are means ± SEM (n = 17 mice per group). *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01 compared with vehicle.