Involvement of Vascular Endothelial Cells in the Anti-atherogenic Effects of Liraglutide in Diabetic Apolipoprotein E-null Mice

: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists （ GLP-1RAs ） have been shown to exert anti-atherosclerotic effects via multiple mechanisms on different types of cells. However, it is unclear which of these mechanisms are crucial. We investigated the role of vascular endothelial cells （ VECs ） in the anti-atherogenic effects of the GLP-1RA liraglutide in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. were randomly assigned to treatment with either vehicle （ saline ） or liraglutide （ 107 nmol/kg/day ） , and were subjected to femoral artery wire injury to remove VECs. glucose ＞ 300 hemoglobin A1c levels of ＞ 9 ％ , indicating the had induced severe hyperglycemia. cholesterol, and triglycerides between the and plaques were observed ; however, severe plaque formation occurred in femoral arteries that had been injured by wire insertion to remove VECs. Unlike in the uninjured aorta, liraglutide treatment did not affect plaque volume or arterial remodeling （ intimal and medial thinning, and arterial dilation ） in wire-injured femoral arteries. Of the various cells that liraglutide affects, VECs play a central role in liraglutide ʼ s anti-atherogenic effects in diabetic mice.