Abstract 663: Identification of 2 Novel Candidate Genes of Atherosclerosis Susceptibility on Mouse Chromosome 3: Pla2g12a and Elovl6

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping in an F2 intercross (n=452) of atherosclerosis-susceptible C57BL/6 (B6) and atherosclerosis-resistant FVB mice on the LDL-receptor deficient background revealed a novel atherosclerosis susceptibility locus on mouse chromosome (Chr) 3. In previous work the susceptible genetic region on Chr3 was narrowed to 80 - 160 MB and validated by congenic FVB.Chr3B6/B6 mice. We hypothesized that underlying genetic variation in this region leads to differential expression of causal genes, thereby affecting atherosclerosis susceptibility. We performed transcriptome-wide expression analyses in livers of congenic FVB.Chr3B6/B6 and FVB mice (n=4/4) using Illumina Ref-8 arrays followed by validation in livers of congenic FVB.Chr3B6/B6 and FVB mice (n=8/9) as well as in livers of B6 and FVB mice (n=5/5) by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Cis-regulation was investigated in F2 livers (n=47) by correlating the expression to the genotype. Tissue-specific expression of genes was examin...