scholarly journals Ablation of Galectin-12 Inhibits Atherosclerosis through Enhancement of M2 Macrophage Polarization

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5511
Author(s):  
En-Shyh Lin ◽  
Yu-An Hsu ◽  
Ching-Yao Chang ◽  
Hui-Ju Lin ◽  
Chih Sheng Chen ◽  
...  

The formation of foam cells, which are macrophages that have engulfed oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL), constitutes the first stage in the development of atherosclerosis. Previously, we found that knocking down galectin-12, a negative regulator of lipolysis, leads to reduced secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), a chemokine that plays an important role in atherosclerosis. This prompted us to study the role of galectin-12 in atherosclerosis. With that aim, we examined foam cell formation in Gal12‒/‒ murine macrophages exposed to OxLDL and acetylated LDL (AcLDL). Then, we generated an LDL receptor and galectin-12 double knockout (DKO) mice and studied the effect of galectin-12 on macrophage function and atherosclerosis. Lastly, we evaluated the role of galectin-12 in human THP-1 macrophages using a doxycycline-inducible conditional knockdown system. Galectin-12 knockout significantly inhibited foam cell formation in murine macrophages through the downregulation of cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36), and the upregulation of ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily A Member 1 (ABCA1), ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily G Member 1 (ABCG1), and scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SRB1). Consistent with this, galectin-12 knockdown inhibited foam cell formation in human macrophages. In addition, the ablation of galectin-12 promoted M2 macrophage polarization in human and murine macrophages as evidenced by the upregulation of the M2 marker genes, CD206 and CD163, and downregulation of the M1 cytokines, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF- α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and MCP-1. Moreover, the ablation of galectin-12 decreased atherosclerosis formation in DKO mice. Based on these results, we propose galectin-12 as a potential therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.

2013 ◽  
Vol 113 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wonkyoung Cho ◽  
Young Eun Yoon ◽  
Kihwan Kwon ◽  
Young Mi Park

Background: Excessive lipid accumulation by macrophages plays a crucial role in atherosclerosis. Foam cells are generated by uncontrolled uptake of modified LDL, especially oxidized LDL (oxLDL), and/or impaired cholesterol efflux mediated by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family transporters, ABCA-1 and ABCG-1. Shockwave, elicited by transient pressure disturbance, have been used for extracorporeal lithotripsy or for treating musculoskeletal disorders. Our current study suggests an evidence that shockwave may have anti-atherogenic effect by inhibiting foam cell formation. Methods/Results: Murine peritoneal macrophages were exposed to shockwaves at 0.04 mJ/mm 2 with 1000 impulses, lysed after 6, 18 and 24 hours, and tested for expression of ABCA-1 and ABCG-1. The western blot showed that shockwave induced 2.0-2.8 fold increase of ABCA-1 and ABCG-1 within 18-24 hours. mRNA levels of ABCA-1 and ABCG-1 were also increased by shockwave with 2.0 fold of peak increase in 18 hours. The increased expression of ABCA-1 and ABCG-1 was mediated by phosphorylation of ERK 1/2 (Tyr204). Western blot analysis revealed that shockwave induced phosphorylation of ERK 1/2 (Tyr204) in murine macrophages. Shockwave-induced increase of ABCA-1 and ABCG-1 was blocked by U0126 (40µM), a specific inhibitor for ERK. Oil-red O staining showed that macrophages exposed to shockwave had 25% less intracellular lipid droplets. Intracellular cholesterol measured by cholesterol oxidase and esterase revealed that macrophages exposed to shockwave had 23% less intracellular cholesterol when incubated with oxLDL (50µg/ml) for 16 hours. In vitro migration assays including modified Boyden chamber migration assay and scratch wound healing migration assay showed that macrophages exposed to shockwave had 1.2 fold more migration and had diminished migration-inhibitory effect of oxLDL. Conclusions: Shockwave reduces macrophage foam cell formation via ERK-mediated increase of ABCA-1 and ABCG-1 mediating lipid efflux and promotes macrophage migration which may induce macrophage egress from atherosclerotic lesion. Our study suggests anti-atherogenic effects of shockwave as a potential treatment modality for atherosclerosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Liu ◽  
Yan Sun ◽  
Xuze Lin ◽  
Dai Zhang ◽  
Chengping Hu ◽  
...  

Background: Accumulating evidence demonstrates that perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) plays an important role in maintaining vascular homeostasis. The formation of macrophage foam cells is a central feature of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of PVAT-derived exosomes (EXOs) on the lipid accumulation of macrophages and verify the anti-atherogenic characteristics of PVAT.Methods and Results: We extracted EXOs from the PVAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) of wild-type C57BL/6J mice. After coincubation, the EXOs were taken up by RAW264.7 cells. Oil Red O staining revealed that macrophage foam cell formation and intracellular lipid accumulation were ameliorated by PVAT-EXOs. Flow cytometry showed that PVAT-EXOs significantly reduced macrophage uptake of fluorescence-labelled oxidised low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). In addition, high-density lipoprotein-induced cholesterol efflux was promoted by PVAT-EXOs. Western blot analysis showed the downregulation of macrophage scavenger receptor A and the upregulation of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 and ATP-binding cassette transporter G1, which could be mediated by the overexpression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and was independent of liver X receptor α.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that PVAT-EXOs reduce macrophage foam cell formation by regulating the expression of cholesterol transport proteins, which provides a novel mechanism by which PVAT protects the vasculature from atherosclerosis.


2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 2223-2231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryline Olivier ◽  
Michael W. Tanck ◽  
Ruud Out ◽  
Elise F. Villard ◽  
Bart Lammers ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Wen-Lin Cheng ◽  
Quan Zhang ◽  
Bo Li ◽  
Jian-Lei Cao ◽  
Lin Jiao ◽  
...  

Macrophage polarization in response to environmental cues has emerged as an important event in the development of atherosclerosis. Compelling evidences suggest that P21-activated kinases 1 (PAK1) is involved in a wide variety of diseases. However, the potential role and mechanism of PAK1 in regulation of macrophage polarization remains to be elucidated. Here, we observed that PAK1 showed a dramatically increased expression in M1 macrophages but decreased expression in M2 macrophages by using a well-established in vitro model to study heterogeneity of macrophage polarization. Adenovirus-mediated loss-of-function approach demonstrated that PAK1 silencing induced an M2 macrophage phenotype-associated gene profiles but repressed the phenotypic markers related to M1 macrophage polarization. Additionally, dramatically decreased foam cell formation was found in PAK1 silencing-induced M2 macrophage activation which was accompanied with alternation of marker account for cholesterol efflux or influx from macrophage foam cells. Moderate results in lipid metabolism and foam cell formation were found in M1 macrophage activation mediated by AdshPAK1. Importantly, we presented mechanistic evidence that PAK1 knockdown promoted the expression of PPARγ, and the effect of macrophage activation regulated by PAK1 silencing was largely reversed when a PPARγ antagonist was utilized. Collectively, these findings reveal that PAK1 is an independent effector of macrophage polarization at least partially attributed to regulation of PPARγ expression, which suggested PAK1-PPARγ axis as a novel therapeutic strategy in atherosclerosis management.


2002 ◽  
Vol 74 (11) ◽  
pp. 2057-2081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Lorkowski ◽  
Paul Cullen

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins form one of the largest known protein families and have been found in all known organisms. Most members of the human ABC protein family are membrane-spanning transporters that use energy derived from the hydrolysis of ATP to transport specific substrates across cell membranes. Mutations in certain human ABC transporters of the subfamilies A, B, C, and D have been shown to cause a wide variety of inherited diseases such as the lung condition cystic fibrosis, the nervous degenerative condition adrenoleukodystrophy (of Lorenzo’s Oil fame), hereditary macular degeneration of the eye (Stargardt’s disease), and inherited deficiency of circulating high-density lipoproteins (Tangier disease or familial hypoalphalipoproteinemia). Very recent studies showed that mutations in two members of the subfamily G of human ABC transporters (ABCG5 and ABCG8) cause a condition called sitosterolemia in which plant sterols accumulate in the body and may be responsible for influencing total body sterol homeostasis. In addition, other members of the subfamily G, namely ABCG1 and ABCG4, have also been shown to be involved in cellular lipid trafficking and are thought to play important roles during foam cell formation of human macrophages. By contrast, ABCG2 is a multidrug resistance transporter.In this review, we focus on the current knowledge and physiological background of the members of the subfamily G. We also present new insights on the evolutionary relationship of human and nonhuman ABCG proteins.


2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (17) ◽  
pp. 2353-2368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Te Li ◽  
Lijuan Ding ◽  
Yonggang Wang ◽  
Ou Yang ◽  
Shudong Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Genetic variants in phosphatase and actin regulator-1 (Phactr1) are reported to be associated with arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, the function of Phactr1 in atherosclerosis remains unclear. Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent coronary angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were enrolled and divided into non-ST segment elevation (NST-ACS) group and ST-ACS group. The expression of Phactr1 on monocytes was higher in NST-ACS and ST-ACS groups as compared with control group. Furthermore, NST-ACS patients who have more vulnerable features including thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) and large lipid area showed higher levels of Phactr1 on monocytes than those with stable plaques. Through mouse models of atherosclerosis, Phactr1−/−Apoe−/− mice (double knockout mice, DKO) developed more severe atherosclerotic plaques, recruiting more macrophages into subendothelium and having elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines in plaques. Similarly, Apoe knockout mice (Apoe−/−) receiving DKO bone marrow (BM) exhibited elevated plaque burden compared with Apoe−/− mice receiving Apoe−/− BM, indicating the protective effect of Phactr1 in hematopoietic cells. We found that depletion of Phactr1 in BM-derived macrophages (BMDMs) tended to differentiate into M1 phenotype, produced more proatherogenic cytokines and eventually converted into foam cells driven by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). Mechanistically, Phactr1 activated CREB signaling via directly binding to CREB, up-regulating CREB phosphorylation and inducing KLF4 expression. Finally, overexpression of KLF4 partly rescued the excessive inflammation response and foam cell formation induced by deficiency of Phactr1. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that elevated Phactr1 in monocytes is a promising biomarker for vulnerable plaques, while increased Phactr1 attenuates atherosclerotic development via activation of CREB and M2 macrophage differentiation.


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