Atherosclerosis underlies most cases of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is now the major cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. An inflammatory reaction is an essential component in the appearance and development of an atherosclerotic lesion. The inflammatory process is associated with the expression of adhesion molecules such as vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) at the surface of endothelial cells. Antiatherogenic lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein (HDL), is known to down regulate the expression of VCAM. Increasing levels of HDL is a promising way to reduce the risk of CVD.

This technology is directed to the generation of a stable endothelial cell line expressing a luciferase reporter construct driven by the VCAM promoter. This reporter system enables an easier measurement of VCAM expression and determination of the effect of HDL on endothelial cell inflammation. This technology can be used to screen for the effect of drugs that modulate HDL metabolism and it is more convenient than doing Western blots.