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Elieh-Ali-Komi D, Bot I, Rodríguez-González M, Maurer M. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Mast Cells in Atherosclerotic Plaque Progression and Destabilization. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2024; 66:30-49. [PMID: 38289515 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-024-08981-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Mast cells (MCs) are commonly recognized for their crucial involvement in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, but over time, it has come to light that they also play a role in the pathophysiology of non-allergic disorders including atherosclerosis. The involvement of MCs in the pathology of atherosclerosis is supported by their accumulation in atherosclerotic plaques upon their progression and the association of intraplaque MC numbers with acute cardiovascular events. MCs that accumulate within the atherosclerotic plaque release a cocktail of mediators through which they contribute to neovascularization, plaque progression, instability, erosion, rupture, and thrombosis. At a molecular level, MC-released proteases, especially cathepsin G, degrade low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and mediate LDL fusion and binding of LDL to proteoglycans (PGs). Through a complicated network of chemokines including CXCL1, MCs promote the recruitment of among others CXCR2+ neutrophils, therefore, aggravating the inflammation of the plaque environment. Additionally, MCs produce extracellular traps which worsen inflammation and contribute to atherothrombosis. Altogether, evidence suggests that MCs actively, via several underlying mechanisms, contribute to atherosclerotic plaque destabilization and acute cardiovascular syndromes, thus, making the study of interventions to modulate MC activation an interesting target for cardiovascular medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Elieh-Ali-Komi
- Institute of Allergology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Immunology and Allergology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilze Bot
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Marcus Maurer
- Institute of Allergology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Immunology and Allergology, Berlin, Germany.
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van Dijk RA, Kleemann R, Schaapherder AF, van den Bogaerdt A, Hedin U, Matic L, Lindeman JH. Validating human and mouse tissues commonly used in atherosclerosis research with coronary and aortic reference tissue: similarities but profound differences in disease initiation and plaque stability. JVS Vasc Sci 2023; 4:100118. [PMID: 37810738 PMCID: PMC10551657 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvssci.2023.100118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Characterization of the atherosclerotic process fully relies on histological evaluation and staging through a consensus grading system. So far, a head-to-head comparison of atherosclerotic process in experimental models and tissue resources commonly applied in atherosclerosis research with the actual human atherosclerotic process is missing. Material and Methods Aspects of the atherosclerotic process present in established murine atherosclerosis models and human carotid endarterectomy specimen were systematically graded using the modified American Heart Association histological classification (Virmani classification). Aspects were aligned with the atherosclerotic process observed in human coronary artery and aortic atherosclerosis reference tissues that were available through biobanks based on human tissue/organ donor material. Results Apart from absent intraplaque hemorrhages in aortic lesions, the histological characteristics of the different stages of human coronary and aortic atherosclerosis are similar. Carotid endarterectomy samples all represent end-stage "fibrous calcified plaque" lesions, although secondary, progressive, and vulnerable lesions with gross morphologies similar to coronary/aortic lesions occasionally present along the primary lesions. For the murine lesions, clear histological parallels were observed for the intermediate lesion types ("pathological intimal thickening," and "early fibroatheroma"). However, none of the murine lesions studied progressed to an equivalent of late fibroatheroma or beyond. Notable contrasts were observed for disease initiation: whereas disease initiation in humans is characterized by a mesenchymal cell influx in the intima, the earliest murine lesions are exclusively intimal, with subendothelial accumulation foam cells. A mesenchymal (and medial) response are absent. In fact, it is concluded that the stage of "adaptive intimal thickening" is absent in all mouse models included in this study. Conclusions The Virmani classification for coronary atherosclerosis can be applied for systematically grading experimental and clinical atherosclerosis. Application of this histological grading tool shows clear parallels for intermediate human and murine atherosclerotic lesions. However, clear contrasts are observed for disease initiation, and late stage atherosclerotic lesions. Carotid endarterectomy all represent end-stage fibrous calcified plaque lesions, although secondary earlier lesions may present in a subset of samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rogier A. van Dijk
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Kleemann
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Department of Metabolic Health Research, TNO Metabolic Health Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Ulf Hedin
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Ljubica Matic
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Jan H.N. Lindeman
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Wang Z, Shi H, Zhao H, Dong Z, Zhao B, Weng X, Liu R, Li X, Hu K, Zou Y, Sun A, Ge J. Naoxintong Retards Atherosclerosis by Inhibiting Foam Cell Formation Through Activating Pparα Pathway. Curr Mol Med 2019; 18:698-710. [PMID: 30734676 PMCID: PMC6463403 DOI: 10.2174/1566524019666190207143207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Backgrounds: We recently reported that Naoxintong (NXT), a China Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cardiac medicine, could reduce the plaque size, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive now. Objective: In this study, we investigated the effects of NXT on foam cell accumulation both in vivo and in vitro and explored related mechanisms. Method: THP-1 cells and bone marrow-derived macrophages were incubated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) with/without Naoxintong. ApoE-/- mice fed an atherogenic diet were administered to receive NXT for eight weeks. Macrophage-derived foam cell formation in plaques was measured by immunohistochemical staining. Expression of proteins was evaluated by Western blot. Lentivirus was used to knockdown PPARα in THP-1 cells. Results: After NXT treatment, foam cell accumulation was significantly reduced in atherosclerotic plaques. Further investigation revealed that oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) uptake was significantly decreased and expression of scavenger receptor class A (SR-A) and class B (SR-B and CD36) was significantly downregulated post-NXT treatment. On the other hand, NXT increased cholesterol efflux and upregulated ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters (ABCA-1 and ABCG-1) in macrophages. Above beneficial effects of NXT were partly abolished after lentiviral knockdown of PPARα. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that NXT could retard atherosclerosis by inhibiting foam cell formation through reducing ox-LDL uptake and enhancing cholesterol efflux and above beneficial effects are partly mediated through PPARα pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeng Wang
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Huairui Shi
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Huan Zhao
- Department of Pathology, LiShui Central Hospital, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, ZheJiang, China
| | - Zhen Dong
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Buchang Zhao
- Shandong Buchang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shandong, China
| | - Xinyu Weng
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Rongle Liu
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Kai Hu
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yunzeng Zou
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Aijun Sun
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Junbo Ge
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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