Aged Garlic Extract Inhibits CD36 Expression and Foam Cell Formation in Human Macrophages

Human heregulins, neuregulin-1 type I polypeptides known to activate proliferation, differentiation, and survival of glial cells, neurons, and myocytes, were recently found to be expressed in macrophage foam cells within human coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Macrophage foam cell formation, characterized by cholesterol ester (CE) accumulation, is modulated by scavenger receptor class A (SR-A), acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase-1 (ACAT1), and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1). The present study clarified the functional roles of heregulins in macrophage foam cell formation and atherosclerosis. Plasma heregulin-beta1 levels were significantly decreased in 31 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and 33 patients with stable angina pectoris as compared with 34 mild hypertensive patients and 40 healthy volunteers (1.3+/−0.3, 2.0+/−0.4 versus 7.6+/−1.4, 8.2+/−1.2 ng/mL; at least P < 0.01). Immunoreactive heregulins and these receptor c-erbB3 were detectable within human coronary atherothrombosis obtained from ACS patients. In primary cultured human monocyte-macrophages, the expression of endogenous heregulins, heregulin-beta1, and c-erbB3 increased during monocytic differentiation into macrophages. In human macrophages differentiated by 7-day culture, exogenous heregulin-beta1, but not heregulin-alpha, significantly reduced acetylated low-density lipoprotein (acLDL)-induced CE accumulation by reducing SR-A and ACAT1 expression and by increasing ABCA1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Heregulin-beta1 significantly decreased endocytic uptake of [ 125 I]acLDL and increased cholesterol efflux by apolipoprotein A1 from human macrophages. Chronic infusion of heregulin-beta1 by osmotic mini-pumps into apolipoprotein E-deficient mice significantly suppressed the progression of macrophage-driven atherosclerotic lesions by 64%. Our study provides the first evidence that heregulin-beta1 may participate in anti-atherogenesis by suppressing macrophage foam cell formation via SR-A and ACAT1 down-regulation and ABCA1 up-regulation.

Download Full-text

Abstract 43: Activation of the Nuclear Receptor Coactivator PGC-1α Mediates an Atheroprotective Effect

Circulation Research ◽

10.1161/res.111.suppl_1.a43 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 111 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Cathal McCarthy ◽

Declan Mooney ◽

Monica de Gaetano ◽

William James ◽

Desmond J Fitzgerald ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Receptor ◽

Target Genes ◽

Foam Cell ◽

Cell Formation ◽

Foam Cell Formation ◽

Nuclear Receptor Coactivator ◽

Hub Gene ◽

Cd36 Expression ◽

Ppar Agonists ◽

Human Atherosclerosis

Supplementing dietary chow with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) induces marked regression of pre-established murine atherosclerosis, in contrast to other PPAR agonists. The finding suggests that there are unidentified endogenous pathways that suppress the progression or promote the regression of atherosclerosis. Identifying these pathways in the mouse and their homologues in humans may help elucidate the mechanisms of the disease and targets for future therapies. Here, we provide evidence that CLA inhibits foam cell formation via regulation of the nuclear receptor co-activator, PGC-1α in a manner that differs from PPAR activation. Gene expression analysis was performed in the aorta of ApoE -/- mice following induction of atherosclerosis and dietary supplementation with/without CLA. CLA induced dramatic regression of the cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis. PGC-1α was identified as a ‘hub’ gene within a cluster of genes induced by CLA in the aorta of the ApoE -/- during regression. PGC-1α protein was also found in murine and human atherosclerotic plaque, where it was localised to macrophage/foam cells. In a mouse macrophage cell line exposed to oxLDL, CLA induced PGC-1α and several genes in the network in an isomer specific fashion, including RORαand ABCA1. CLA also induced the PGC-1α target genes Cyp7b1 and UCP-1, and PPAR. CLA inhibited foam cell formation in the same cells exposed to oxLDL and suppressed the expression of the scavenger receptors, SRA-1 and CD36. Expression of the PGC-1α in macrophages had similar effects. Thus, over-expression of PGC-1α limited the accumulation of oxLDL and subsequent foam cell formation, while deletion of the gene promoted foam cell formation in bone marrow derived macrophages upon exposure to oxLDL. Moreover, deletion of PGC-1α prevented the inhibition of macrophages/foam cell formation by CLA. The nuclear receptor co-activator PGC-1α is a hub gene in a network of genes activated in the aorta during CLA-induced regression of atherosclerosis and mediates CLA’s inhibition of foam cell formation. PGC-1α is also is also expressed in human plaques where its expression is inversely associated with disease progression, raising the possibility that this pathway if activated could regulate human atherosclerosis.

Download Full-text