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Caruana V, Giles BH, Kukolj N, Juran R, Baglole CJ, Mann KK. Chronic exposure to E-cigarette aerosols potentiates atherosclerosis in a sex-dependent manner. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2024; 492:117095. [PMID: 39245079 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.117095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2024] [Revised: 09/04/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
Despite being designed for smoking cessation, e-cigarettes and their variety of flavors have become increasingly attractive to teens and young adults. This trend has fueled concerns regarding the potential role of e-cigarettes in advancing chronic diseases, notably those affecting the cardiovascular system. E-cigarettes contain a mixture of metals and chemical compounds, some of which have been implicated in cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis. Our laboratory has optimized in vivo exposure regimens to mimic human vaping patterns. Using these established protocols in an inducible (AAV-PCSK9) hyperlipidemic mouse model, this study tests the hypothesis that a chronic exposure to e-cigarette aerosols will increase atherosclerotic plaques. The exposures were conducted using the SCIREQ InExpose™ nose-only inhalation system and STLTH or Vuse products for 16 weeks. We observed that only male mice exposed to STLTH or Vuse aerosols had significantly increased plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol levels compared to mice exposed to system air. Moreover, these male mice also had a significant increase in aortic and sinus plaque area. Male mice exposed to e-cigarette aerosol had a significant reduction in weight gain over the exposure period. Our data indicate that e-cigarette use in young hyperlipidemic male mice increases atherosclerosis in the absence of significant pulmonary and systemic inflammation. These results underscore the need for extensive research to unravel the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Caruana
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Braeden H Giles
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nikola Kukolj
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Roni Juran
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Carolyn J Baglole
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Koren K Mann
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Dutka M, Zimmer K, Ćwiertnia M, Ilczak T, Bobiński R. The role of PCSK9 in heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases-mechanisms of action beyond its effect on LDL cholesterol. Heart Fail Rev 2024; 29:917-937. [PMID: 38886277 PMCID: PMC11306431 DOI: 10.1007/s10741-024-10409-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type-9 (PCSK9) is a protein that regulates low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol metabolism by binding to the hepatic LDL receptor (LDLR), ultimately leading to its lysosomal degradation and an increase in LDL cholesterol (LDLc) levels. Treatment strategies have been developed based on blocking PCSK9 with specific antibodies (alirocumab, evolocumab) and on blocking its production with small regulatory RNA (siRNA) (inclisiran). Clinical trials evaluating these drugs have confirmed their high efficacy in reducing serum LDLc levels and improving the prognosis in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Most studies have focused on the action of PCSK9 on LDLRs and the subsequent increase in LDLc concentrations. Increasing evidence suggests that the adverse cardiovascular effects of PCSK9, particularly its atherosclerotic effects on the vascular wall, may also result from mechanisms independent of its effects on lipid metabolism. PCSK9 induces the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines contributing to inflammation within the vascular wall and promotes apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis of cardiomyocytes and is thus involved in the development and progression of heart failure. The elimination of PCSK9 may, therefore, not only be a treatment for hypercholesterolaemia but also for atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. The mechanisms of action of PCSK9 in the cardiovascular system are not yet fully understood. This article reviews the current understanding of the mechanisms of PCSK9 action in the cardiovascular system and its contribution to cardiovascular diseases. Knowledge of these mechanisms may contribute to the wider use of PCSK9 inhibitors in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mieczysław Dutka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielsko-Biala, Willowa St. 2, 43-309, Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
| | - Karolina Zimmer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielsko-Biala, Willowa St. 2, 43-309, Bielsko-Biała, Poland
| | - Michał Ćwiertnia
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielsko-Biala, 43-309, Bielsko-Biała, Poland
| | - Tomasz Ilczak
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielsko-Biala, 43-309, Bielsko-Biała, Poland
| | - Rafał Bobiński
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielsko-Biala, Willowa St. 2, 43-309, Bielsko-Biała, Poland
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3
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Zhu B, Gupta K, Cui K, Wang B, Malovichko MV, Han X, Li K, Wu H, Arulsamy KS, Singh B, Gao J, Wong S, Cowan DB, Wang D, Biddinger S, Srivastava S, Shi J, Chen K, Chen H. Targeting Liver Epsins Ameliorates Dyslipidemia in Atherosclerosis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.26.609742. [PMID: 39253478 PMCID: PMC11383288 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.26.609742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Rationale Low density cholesterol receptor (LDLR) in the liver is critical for the clearance of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the blood. In atherogenic conditions, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) secreted by the liver, in a nonenzymatic fashion, binds to LDLR on the surface of hepatocytes, preventing its recycling and enhancing its degradation in lysosomes, resulting in reduced LDL-C clearance. Our recent studies demonstrate that epsins, a family of ubiquitin-binding endocytic adaptors, are critical regulators of atherogenicity. Given the fundamental contribution of circulating LDL-C to atherosclerosis, we hypothesize that liver epsins promote atherosclerosis by controlling LDLR endocytosis and degradation. Objective We will determine the role of liver epsins in promoting PCSK9-mediated LDLR degradation and hindering LDL-C clearance to propel atherosclerosis. Methods and Results We generated double knockout mice in which both paralogs of epsins, namely, epsin-1 and epsin-2, are specifically deleted in the liver (Liver-DKO) on an ApoE -/- background. We discovered that western diet (WD)-induced atherogenesis was greatly inhibited, along with diminished blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Mechanistically, using scRNA-seq analysis on cells isolated from the livers of ApoE-/- and ApoE-/- /Liver-DKO mice on WD, we found lipogenic Alb hi hepatocytes to glycogenic HNF4α hi hepatocytes transition in ApoE-/- /Liver-DKO. Subsequently, gene ontology analysis of hepatocyte-derived data revealed elevated pathways involved in LDL particle clearance and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particle clearance under WD treatment in ApoE-/- /Liver-DKO, which was coupled with diminished plasma LDL-C levels. Further analysis using the MEBOCOST algorithm revealed enhanced communication score between LDLR and cholesterol, suggesting elevated LDL-C clearance in the ApoE-/- Liver-DKO mice. In addition, we showed that loss of epsins in the liver upregulates of LDLR protein level. We further showed that epsins bind LDLR via the ubiquitin-interacting motif (UIM), and PCSK9-triggered LDLR degradation was abolished by depletion of epsins, preventing atheroma progression. Finally, our therapeutic strategy, which involved targeting liver epsins with nanoparticle-encapsulated siRNAs, was highly efficacious at inhibiting dyslipidemia and impeding atherosclerosis. Conclusions Liver epsins promote atherogenesis by mediating PCSK9-triggered degradation of LDLR, thus raising the circulating LDL-C levels. Targeting epsins in the liver may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy to treat atherosclerosis by suppression of PCSK9-mediated LDLR degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhu
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Krishan Gupta
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kui Cui
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Beibei Wang
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Marina V Malovichko
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Xiangfei Han
- Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kathryn Li
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Hao Wu
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kulandai Samy Arulsamy
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bandana Singh
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jianing Gao
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Scott Wong
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Douglas B Cowan
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Dazhi Wang
- College of Medicine Molecular Pharmacology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Sudha Biddinger
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sanjay Srivastava
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Jinjun Shi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kaifu Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Hong Chen
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Ferraro B. The SR-B1ΔCT/LDLR KO mouse: A new tool to shed light on coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis 2024; 395:117564. [PMID: 38796408 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2024.117564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Bartolo Ferraro
- Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Biomedical Center, Ludwig- Maximilian-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
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5
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Zhang X, Heo GS, Li A, Lahad D, Detering L, Tao J, Gao X, Zhang X, Luehmann H, Sultan D, Lou L, Venkatesan R, Li R, Zheng J, Amrute J, Lin CY, Kopecky BJ, Gropler RJ, Bredemeyer A, Lavine K, Liu Y. Development of a CD163-Targeted PET Radiotracer That Images Resident Macrophages in Atherosclerosis. J Nucl Med 2024; 65:775-780. [PMID: 38548349 PMCID: PMC11064833 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.266910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Tissue-resident macrophages are complementary to proinflammatory macrophages to promote the progression of atherosclerosis. The noninvasive detection of their presence and dynamic variation will be important to the understanding of their role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The goal of this study was to develop a targeted PET radiotracer for imaging CD163-positive (CD163+) macrophages in multiple mouse atherosclerosis models and assess the potential of CD163 as a biomarker for atherosclerosis in humans. Methods: CD163-binding peptide was identified using phage display and conjugated with a NODAGA chelator for 64Cu radiolabeling ([64Cu]Cu-ICT-01). CD163-overexpressing U87 cells were used to measure the binding affinity of [64Cu]Cu-ICT-01. Biodistribution studies were performed on wild-type C57BL/6 mice at multiple time points after tail vein injection. The sensitivity and specificity of [64Cu]Cu-ICT-01 in imaging CD163+ macrophages upregulated on the surface of atherosclerotic plaques were assessed in multiple mouse atherosclerosis models. Immunostaining, flow cytometry, and single-cell RNA sequencing were performed to characterize the expression of CD163 on tissue-resident macrophages. Human carotid atherosclerotic plaques were used to measure the expression of CD163+ resident macrophages and test the binding specificity of [64Cu]Cu-ICT-01. Results: [64Cu]Cu-ICT-01 showed high binding affinity to U87 cells. The biodistribution study showed rapid blood and renal clearance with low retention in all major organs at 1, 2, and 4 h after injection. In an ApoE-/- mouse model, [64Cu]Cu-ICT-01 demonstrated sensitive and specific detection of CD163+ macrophages and capability for tracking the progression of atherosclerotic lesions; these findings were further confirmed in Ldlr-/- and PCSK9 mouse models. Immunostaining showed elevated expression of CD163+ macrophages across the plaques. Flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing confirmed the specific expression of CD163 on tissue-resident macrophages. Human tissue characterization demonstrated high expression of CD163+ macrophages on atherosclerotic lesions, and ex vivo autoradiography revealed specific binding of [64Cu]Cu-ICT-01 to human CD163. Conclusion: This work reported the development of a PET radiotracer binding CD163+ macrophages. The elevated expression of CD163+ resident macrophages on human plaques indicated the potential of CD163 as a biomarker for vulnerable plaques. The sensitivity and specificity of [64Cu]Cu-ICT-01 in imaging CD163+ macrophages warrant further investigation in translational settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuli Zhang
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Gyu Seong Heo
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Alexandria Li
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Divangana Lahad
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Lisa Detering
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Joan Tao
- Department of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Xuefeng Gao
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Hannah Luehmann
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Deborah Sultan
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Lanlan Lou
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Rajiu Venkatesan
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Ran Li
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Jie Zheng
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Junedh Amrute
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; and
| | - Chieh-Yu Lin
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Benjamin J Kopecky
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; and
| | - Robert J Gropler
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Andrea Bredemeyer
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; and
| | - Kory Lavine
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; and
| | - Yongjian Liu
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri;
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Sun J, Wang M, Jia F, Song J, Ren J, Hu B. FTO Stabilizes MIS12 to Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Senescence in Atherosclerotic Plaque. J Inflamm Res 2024; 17:1857-1871. [PMID: 38523689 PMCID: PMC10961024 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s447379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Atherosclerosis is the main cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here, we aimed to uncover the role and mechanisms of fat mass and obesity-associated genes (FTO) in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) senescence in atherosclerotic plaques. Methods ApoE-/- mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) were used to establish an atherosclerotic animal model. Immunohistochemistry, and the staining of hematoxylin-eosin, Oil Red O, Sirius red, and Masson were performed to confirm the role of FTO in atherosclerosis in vivo. Subsequently, FTO expression in primary VSMCs is either upregulated or downregulated. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) was used to treat VSMCs, followed by EdU staining, flow cytometry, senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining, immunofluorescence, telomere detection, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting to determine the molecular mechanisms by which FTO inhibits VSMC senescence. Results Decreased FTO expression was observed in progressive atherosclerotic plaques of ApoE-/- mice fed with HFD. FTO upregulation inhibits atherosclerotic lesions in mice. FTO inhibits VSMC aging in atherosclerotic plaques by helping VSMC withstand ox-LDL-induced cell cycle arrest and senescence. This process is achieved by stabilizing the MIS12 protein in VSMC through a proteasome-mediated pathway. Conclusion FTO inhibits VSMC senescence and subsequently slows the progression of atherosclerotic plaques by stabilizing the MIS12 protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingzhao Sun
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mengqi Wang
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fengming Jia
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiantao Song
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinlin Ren
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Emergency, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People’s Republic of China
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7
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Sarad K, Stefańska M, Kraszewska I, Szade K, Sluimer JC, Błyszczuk P, Dulak J, Jaźwa-Kusior A. Single-cell transcriptomics reveals subtype-specific molecular profiles in Nrf2-deficient macrophages from murine atherosclerotic aortas. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1249379. [PMID: 37965327 PMCID: PMC10641521 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1249379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcriptional regulator of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory response in all cell types. It also activates the transcription of genes important for macrophage function. Nrf2 activity declines with age and has been closely linked to atherosclerosis, but its specific role in this vascular pathology is not clear. Atherosclerotic plaques contain several macrophage subsets with distinct, yet not completely understood, functions in the lesion development. The aim of this study was to analyze the transcriptome of diverse Nrf2-deficient macrophage subpopulations from murine atherosclerotic aortas. Mice with transcriptionally inactive Nrf2 in Cdh5-expressing cells (Nrf2 Cdh5tKO) were used in the experiments. These mice lack transcriptional Nrf2 activity in endothelial cells, but also in a proportion of leukocytes. We confirmed that the bone marrow-derived and tissue-resident macrophages isolated from Nrf2 Cdh5tKO mice exhibit a significant decline in Nrf2 activity. Atherosclerosis was induced in Nrf2 Cdh5tKO and appropriate control mice via adeno-associated viral vector (AAV)-mediated overexpression of murine proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (Pcsk9) in the liver and high-fat diet feeding. After 21 weeks, live aortic cells were sorted on FACS and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed. Unsupervised clustering singled out 13 distinct aortic cell types. Among macrophages, 9 subclusters were identified. Differential gene expression analysis revealed cell subtype-specific expression patterns. A subset of inflammatory macrophages from atherosclerotic Nrf2 Cdh5tKO mice demonstrated downregulation of DNA replication genes (e.g. Mcm7, Lig1, Pola1) concomitant with upregulation of DNA damage sensor Atr gene. Atherosclerotic Nrf2 Cdh5tKO Lyve1+ resident macrophages showed strong upregulation of IFN-stimulated genes, as well as changes in the expression of death pathways-associated genes (Slc40a1, Bcl2a1). Furthermore, we observed subtype-specific expression of core ferroptosis genes (e.g. Cp, Hells, Slc40a1) in inflammatory versus tissue resident macrophages. This observation suggested a link between ferroptosis and inflammatory microenvironment appearing at a very early stage of atherogenesis. Our findings indicate that Nrf2 deficiency in aortic macrophages leads to subtype-specific transcriptomic changes associated with inflammation, iron homeostasis, cell injury or death pathways. This may help understanding the role of aging-associated decline of Nrf2 activity and the function of specific macrophage subtypes in atherosclerotic lesion development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Sarad
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- Jagiellonian University, Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Monika Stefańska
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Izabela Kraszewska
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Szade
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Judith C. Sluimer
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Department of Pathology, Maastricht University Medical Center (UMC), Maastricht, Netherlands
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Przemysław Błyszczuk
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Józef Dulak
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Jaźwa-Kusior
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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8
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Zhang XL, Hollander CM, Khan MY, D'silva M, Ma H, Yang X, Bai R, Keeter CK, Galkina EV, Nadler JL, Stanton PK. Myeloid cell deficiency of the inflammatory transcription factor Stat4 protects long-term synaptic plasticity from the effects of a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. Commun Biol 2023; 6:967. [PMID: 37783748 PMCID: PMC10545833 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05304-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is associated with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The cytokine interleukin-12 activates signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (Stat4), and consumption of a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet (HFD-C) and Stat4 activity are associated with inflammation, atherosclerosis, and a diabetic metabolic phenotype. In studies of in vitro hippocampal slices from control Stat4fl/flLdlr-/- mice fed a HFD-C diabetogenic diet, we show that Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses exhibited larger reductions in activity-dependent, long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission, compared to mice fed a standard diet. Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity shifts produced by HFD-C diet were reduced in Stat4ΔLysMLdlr-/- mice compared to Stat4fl/flLdlr-/- controls. Stat4ΔLysMLdlr-/- mice, which lack Stat4 under control of the LysMCre promoter, were resistant to HFD-C induced impairments in LTP. In contrast, Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses in Stat4ΔLysMLdlr-/- mice fed the HFD-C diet showed larger LTP than control Stat4fl/flLdlr-/- mice. Expression of a number of neuroinflammatory and synaptic plasticity genes was reduced by HFD-C diet in control mice, and less affected by HFD-C diet in Stat4ΔLysMLdlr-/- mice. These data suggest that suppression of Stat4 activation may protect against effects of Western diet on cognition, type 2 diabetes, and reduce risk of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders associated with neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Lei Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
| | - Callie M Hollander
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
| | - Mohammad Yasir Khan
- Department of Pharmacology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
| | - Melinee D'silva
- Department of Pharmacology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
| | - Haoqin Ma
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
| | - Xinyuan Yang
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
| | - Robin Bai
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, 23507, USA
| | - Coles K Keeter
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, 23507, USA
| | - Elena V Galkina
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, 23507, USA
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Inflammatory Diseases, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, 23507, USA
| | - Jerry L Nadler
- Department of Pharmacology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA
- ACOS-Research VA Northern California Health Care System, Sacramento, CA, 95655, USA
| | - Patric K Stanton
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA.
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Zhu K, Mukherjee K, Wei C, Hayek SS, Collins A, Gu C, Corapi K, Altintas MM, Wang Y, Waikar SS, Bianco AC, Koch A, Tacke F, Reiser J, Sever S. The D2D3 form of uPAR acts as an immunotoxin and may cause diabetes and kidney disease. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eabq6492. [PMID: 37729431 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abq6492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a risk factor for kidney diseases. In addition to suPAR, proteolysis of membrane-bound uPAR results in circulating D1 and D2D3 proteins. We showed that when exposed to a high-fat diet, transgenic mice expressing D2D3 protein developed progressive kidney disease marked by microalbuminuria, elevated serum creatinine, and glomerular hypertrophy. D2D3 transgenic mice also exhibited insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus evidenced by decreased levels of insulin and C-peptide, impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, decreased pancreatic β cell mass, and high fasting blood glucose. Injection of anti-uPAR antibody restored β cell mass and function in D2D3 transgenic mice. At the cellular level, the D2D3 protein impaired β cell proliferation and inhibited the bioenergetics of β cells, leading to dysregulated cytoskeletal dynamics and subsequent impairment in the maturation and trafficking of insulin granules. D2D3 protein was predominantly detected in the sera of patients with nephropathy and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. These sera inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin release from human islets in a D2D3-dependent manner. Our study showed that D2D3 injures the kidney and pancreas and suggests that targeting this protein could provide a therapy for kidney diseases and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zhu
- Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Kamalika Mukherjee
- Harvard Medical School and Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Changli Wei
- Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Salim S Hayek
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Agnieszka Collins
- Harvard Medical School and Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Changkyu Gu
- Harvard Medical School and Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Kristin Corapi
- Harvard Medical School and Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Mehmet M Altintas
- Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Sushrut S Waikar
- Section of Nephrology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Antonio C Bianco
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Alexander Koch
- Department of Gastroenterology, Metabolic Diseases and Internal Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, 52072 Aachen, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jochen Reiser
- Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Sanja Sever
- Harvard Medical School and Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
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Kong N, Xu Q, Cui W, Feng X, Gao H. PCSK9 inhibitor inclisiran for treating atherosclerosis via regulation of endothelial cell pyroptosis. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2022; 10:1205. [PMID: 36544639 PMCID: PMC9761140 DOI: 10.21037/atm-22-4652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) belongs to an intracellular invertase or decarboxylase and is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis (AS). This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of the PCSK9 inhibitor, inclisiran, and its underlying mechanism in AS. Methods ApoE-/- mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) and intraperitoneally injected with 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg inclisiran. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were determined using commercially available kits. Oil Red O staining was applied to detect the aortic plaque area and oil formation. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to induce cell injuries. Cell death was determined using a Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide (PI) dual-staining assay. Cytotoxicity was measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot analyses were performed to examine the pyroptosis-related factors. Results Inclisiran inhibited the levels of LDL-C, TC, and TG, but increased the HDL-C level in the AS animal model. It also significantly inhibited plaque and oil droplet formation in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, inclisiran markedly inhibited pyroptosis, as evidenced by the decreased levels of cleaved-caspase-1, NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-1 recruitment domain (ASC), gasdermin-D (GSDMD)-N, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-18. Furthermore, inclisiran substantially inhibited cell death and cytotoxicity induced by ox-LDL in HUVECs. Conclusions Inclisiran exerted an anti-atherosclerotic effect by inhibiting pyroptosis. This study provides a theoretical basis for the therapeutic potential of inclisiran in AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Kong
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qin Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Cui
- Basic Medical School, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaoying Feng
- School of Pharmacy, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huijie Gao
- Department of Immunopharmacology, Jining Medical University, Rizhao, China
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