The expression of NPY and its receptors in the vasculature was decreased in the regular exercise and occasional exercise groups, and this expression was significantly correlated with the progress of atherosclerosis.
Neuropeptide Y is an abundantly expressed neurotransmitter capable of modulating both immune and metabolic responses related to the development of atherosclerosis.
In this study, we investigated the role of two functional NPY polymorphisms, NPY-Leu7Pro (rs16139) and NPY-399C/T (rs16147) and obesity for the development of asthma as well as atherosclerosis in asthmatic and non-asthmatic subjects.
The results indicate significant associations between inflammatory cell activation in blood and vascular atherosclerosis in genetically prone subjects, and provide possible mechanistic information about the role of NPY and the Leu7Pro polymorphism in the development of atherosclerosis.
Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a sympathetic and platelet-derived vascular mitogen and angiogenic factor, has been implicated in atherosclerosis in animal and human genetic studies.
Thus, NPY variants associate with atherosclerosis in two independent datasets (with strong age-of-onset effects) and show allele-specific expression with NPY levels, while NPY receptor antagonism reduces atherosclerosis in mice.