ApoE_FXR_IHC_Air_HFD

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is characterized by intermittent hypoxia and hypercapnia (IHC) and an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. To study the role of bile acid receptor FXR in IHC-induced atherosclerosis, we exposed ApoE-/- x FXR-/- and ApoE-/- mice to IHC or Air for 10 weeks, fed with high fat diet (HFD). Atherosclerotic lesion data revealed that IHC-induced atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice was not observed in ApoE-/- FXR-/- mice, suggesting that FXR plays an important role in IHC-induced atherosclerosis. Examination of microbiome and metabolome profiles in these mice will help us better understand the underlying mechanisms.