Endothelial Cell–Derived Von Willebrand Factor, But Not Platelet-Derived, Promotes Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E–Deficient Mice

Objective— VWF (von Willebrand factor) is synthesized by endothelial cells and megakaryocytes and is known to contribute to atherosclerosis. In vitro studies suggest that platelet-derived VWF (Plt-VWF) is biochemically and functionally different from endothelial cell–derived VWF (EC-VWF). We determined the role of different pools of VWF in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. Approach and Results— Using bone marrow transplantation, we...