Lack of the Cysteine-Protease Inhibitor Cystatin C Promotes Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice.
Objective - Degradation of extracellular matrix plays an important role in growth and destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques. Cystatin C, inhibitor of the collagen- and elastin-degrading cysteine proteases of the cathepsin family, is produced by virtually all cell types. It is present in the normal artery wall but severely reduced in human atherosclerotic lesions. Methods and Results - To dete
