A MOUSE MODEL WITH FEATURES OF FAMILIAL COMBINED HYPERLIPIDEMIA

Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) is a common inherited lipid di sorder, affecting 1 to 2 percent of the population in Westernized soci eties. Individuals with FCHL have large quantities of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) and develop prem ature coronary heart disease. A mouse model displaying some of the fea tures of FCHL was created by crossing mice carrying the human apolipop rotein C-III (APOC3) transgene with mice deficient in the LDL receptor . A synergistic interaction between the apolipoprotein C-III and the L DL receptor defects produced large quantities of VLDL and LDL and enha nced the development of atherosclerosis. This mouse model may provide clues to the origin of human FCHL.