AFM Study On The Interaction Between Various Plasma Lipoproteins And Receptors

Atherosclerosis is one of the major causes of death among the elderly in developed countries via inducing many cardiovascular diseases and has also become a main disease in our country.It is well known that plasma lipoproteins play vital roles in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis.The recognization/binding of various plasma lipoproteins by corresponding receptors(e.g.scavenger receptors)on the surfaces of macrophages in the intima of arteries initiates the signal transduction inside cells,repeatedly induces the formation of foam cells and the migration,proliferation,and apoptosis of various vascular cells,and finally causes atherosclerotic plaques to different extents.In this study,atomic force microscopy is utilized to detect the morphological and biomechanical properties of multiple plasma lipoproteins and their binding with scavenger receptors.Our data indicate that the size and rigidity of various lipoproteins are significantly different and that all these lipoproteins can bind scavenger receptors CD36 or CLA but to different extents.Oxidized low-density lipoprotein(Ox-LDL)and high-density lipoprotein(HDL)have the strongest ability of binding CD36 and CLA,respectively.The data provide important information for understanding the molecular mechanisms of atherogenesis.