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Continuous Light Does Not Affect Atherosclerosis in APOE*3-Leiden.CETP Mice

Journal of Biological Rhythms, vol. 35, pp. 598–611

Abstract

Artificial light exposure is associated with dyslipidemia in humans, which is a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, it remains unclear whether artificial light at night can exacerbate atherosclerosis. In this study, we exposed female APOE*3-Leiden.CETP mice, a well-established model for human-like lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis, to either a regular light-dark cycle or to constant bright light for 14 weeks. Mice exposed to constant light demonstrated a minor reduction in food intake, without any effect on body weight, body composition, or the weight of metabolic organs. Constant light increased the plasma levels of proatherogenic non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol but did not increase the size or severity of atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic root. Mice exposed to constant light did show lower immune cell counts, which could explain the absence of an effect of atherosclerosis despite increased non-HDL cholesterol levels. Behavioral analysis demonstrated variability in the response of mice to the light intervention. Constant light completely blunted behavioral rhythms in some mice, while others extended their behavioral period. However, rhythm strength was not an important determinant of atherosclerosis. Altogether, these results demonstrate that constant bright light does not affect atherosclerosis in APOE*3-Leiden.CETP mice. Whether artificial light exposure contributes to cardiovascular disease risk in humans remains to be investigated.

Authors 12

  1. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  2. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  3. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Division of Neurophysiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  4. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Department of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  5. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Division of Neurophysiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  6. Leiden University Medical Center · Oncode Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands

  7. Leiden University Medical Center · First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University · Xi'an Jiaotong University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China

    Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China

  8. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  9. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Division of Neurophysiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  10. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  11. Leiden University Medical Center · First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University · Xi'an Jiaotong University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China

    Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China

  12. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

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References 54