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Referee Comments: Referee 1

Posted by PLOS_ONE_Group on 12 Jun 2007 at 13:46 GMT

Reviewer 1's Review

“Mice with genetically defined (db/db) diabetes had significantly higher blood glucose and serum insulin levels than their heterozygous (db/+) counterparts. Peritoneal macrophages from diabetic mice took up nearly three-fold more cholesterol than did db/+ mice as assessed by measurement of labeled LDL or cholesteryl ester when cells were examined after in vivo administration of compounds or treated ex vivo. Cholesteryl ester uptake was not related to changes in phagocytosis or fluid phase endocytosis pathways of peritoneal macrophages. Uptake of cholesteryl ester by cells from diabetic mice was reduced in the presence of either CD36 or SR-A blocking antibodies in vivo or ex vivo, whereas cholesteryl ester uptake was not reduced in cells from heterozygous animals after addition of blocking antibodies. Results are discussed in terms of the implications of direct cholesteryl ester uptake in cells from diabetics and its impact on heart disease.”

N.B. These are the general comments made by the reviewer when reviewing this paper in light of which the manuscript was revised. Specific points addressed during revision of the paper are not shown.