Master regulators in the foam cell formation; the role of phagocytosis

Background Foam cell formation caused by modified LDL is the earliest and most noticeable manifestation of atherosclerosis. The mechanisms of foam cell formation are not fully understood and can involve altered lipid uptake, impaired lipid metabolism, or both. 10 inflammation-related master regulators, which were involved in the cholesterol accumulation in cultured macrophages induced by the incubation with modified LDL, have been identified. Objective We hypothesised that the primary event occurring upon the interaction of modified LDL and macrophages is the stimulation of phagocytosis, which subsequently triggers the pro-inflammatory immune response. Methods Cholesterol accumulation was evaluated in primary macrophages with master regulator genes knock-downed by siRNA for either IL15, EIF2AK3, F2RL1, TSPYL2, or ANXA1. Analysis of enriched transcription factor binding sites in promoters of differentially expressed genes and identification of master regulators in the signal transduction network were performed with TRANSFAC and TRANSPATH databases. Results Genes which were up- or downregulated following the exposure of cultured cells to modified LDL or latex beads were determined. Most of the identified master regulators were involved in the innate immune response, and some of them were encoding major pro-inflammatory proteins. Comparative analysis of master regulators revealed similarities in the genetic regulation of the interaction of macrophages with naturally occurring LDL and desialylated LDL. Oxidized and desialylated LDL affected a different spectrum of genes than naturally occurring LDL. These observations suggest that desialylation is the most important modification of LDL occurring in vivo. Thus, modified LDL caused the gene regulation characteristic of the stimulation of phagocytosis. The knock-down of the EIF2AK3 and IL15 genes completely prevented cholesterol accumulation in cultured macrophages, whereas atherogenic naturally occurring LDL caused significant cholesterol accumulation in the control cells. The ANXA1 gene knock-down caused a further decrease in cholesterol content in cultured macrophages. At the same time, knock-down of F2RL1 and TSPYL2 did not cause an effect. Conclusions The results, showing that inflammatory response and the cholesterol accumulation are related, may confirm our hypothesis of atherogenesis development based on the following viewpoints: LDL particles undergo atherogenic modifications that, in turn, accompanied by the formation of self-associates; large LDL associates stimulate phagocytosis; as a result of phagocytosis stimulation, pro-inflammatory molecules are secreted; these molecules cause or at least contribute to the accumulation of intracellular cholesterol. Therefore, it became obvious that the primary event in this sequence is not the accumulation of cholesterol but an inflammatory response. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Foundation. Main funding source(s): The Russian Science Foundation