Fig. 7.

DDAH‐2 overexpression in ECs prevents detrimental effect of UA on ADMA/DDAH-2 pathway and atherosclerosis in apoe^−/− mice. Four-month-old male apoe^−/− mice and apoe^−/−/EC-ddah-2 Tg mice were treated daily with oxonic acid (10 mg/kg body weight) through gastric gavage for 4 weeks. (A) Body weight. (B) Plasma levels of uric acid. (C) Plasma levels of ADMA. (D) Protein levels of DDAH-1, DDAH-2, and α-tubulin in aortas. (E) Atherosclerotic lesion at the aortic root. (F–I) Serum levels of total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Data are expressed means ± SEMs of 10 mice. *Statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) relative to oxonic acid–treated apoe^−/− mice.