Samokhin AO, Wilson S, Nho B, Lizame MLG, Musenden OEE, Brömme D. Cholate-containing high-fat diet induces the formation of multinucleated giant cells in atherosclerotic plaques of apolipoprotein E-/- mice.
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2010;
30:1166-73. [PMID:
20203298 DOI:
10.1161/atvbaha.110.203976]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To determine the role of multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) in cardiovascular diseases.
METHODS AND RESULTS
MGCs are a hallmark of giant cell arteritis. They are also described in atherosclerotic plaques from aortic aneurysms and carotid and coronary arteries. Herein, we demonstrate that the cholate-containing Paigen diet yields many MGCs in atherosclerotic plaques of apolipoprotein E-/- mice. These mice revealed a 4-fold increase in MGC numbers when compared with mice on a Western or Paigen diet without cholate. Most of the MGCs stained intensively for cathepsin K and were located at fibrous caps and close to damaged elastic laminae, with associated medial smooth muscle cell depletion. During in vitro experiments, MGCs demonstrated a 6-fold increase in elastolytic activity when compared with macrophages and facilitated transmigration of smooth muscle cells through a collagen-elastin matrix. An elastin-derived hexapeptide (Val-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Gly [VGVAPG]) significantly increased the rate of macrophage fusion, providing a possible mechanism of in vivo MGC formation. Comparable to the mouse model, human specimens from carotid arteries and aortic aneurysms contained cathepsin K-positive MGCs.
CONCLUSIONS
Apolipoprotein E-/- mice fed a Paigen diet provide a model to analyze the tissue-destructive role of MGCs in vascular diseases.
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