Daniela Pirri, Siyu Tian, Blanca Tardajos-Ayllon, Sophie E Irving, Francesco Donati, Scott P Allen, Tadanori Mammoto, Gemma Vilahur, Lida Kabir, Jane Bennett, Yasmin Rasool, Charis Pericleous, Guianfranco Mazzei, Liam McAllan, William R Scott, Thomas Koestler, Urs Zingg, Graeme M Birdsey, Clint L Miller, Torsten Schenkel, Emily V Chambers, Mark J Dunning, Jovana Serbanovic-Canic, Francesco Botrè, Akiko Mammoto, Suowen Xu, Elena Osto, Weiping Han, Maria Fragiadaki, Paul C Evans
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Atherosclerotic plaques form unevenly due to disturbed blood flow, causing localized endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction. Obesity exacerbates this process, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. The transcription factor EPAS1 (HIF2A) has regulatory roles in endothelium, but its involvement in atherosclerosis remains unexplored. This study investigates the potential interplay between EPAS1, obesity, and atherosclerosis.
Methods: Responses to shear stress were analyzed using cultured porcine aortic EC exposed to flow in vitro coupled with metabolic and molecular analyses and by en face immunostaining of murine aortic EC exposed to disturbed flow in vivo. Obesity and dyslipidemia were induced in mice via exposure to a high-fat diet or through Leptin gene deletion. The role of Epas1 in atherosclerosis was evaluated by inducible endothelial Epas1 deletion, followed by hypercholesterolemia induction (adeno-associated virus-PCSK9 [proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9]; high-fat diet).
Results: En face staining revealed EPAS1 enrichment at sites of disturbed blood flow that are prone to atherosclerosis initiation. Obese mice exhibited substantial reduction in endothelial EPAS1 expression. Sulforaphane, a compound with known atheroprotective effects, restored EPAS1 expression and concurrently reduced plasma triglyceride levels in obese mice. Consistently, triglyceride derivatives (free fatty acids) suppressed EPAS1 in cultured EC by upregulating the negative regulator PHD2. Clinical observations revealed that reduced serum EPAS1 correlated with increased endothelial PHD2 and PHD3 in obese individuals. Functionally, endothelial EPAS1 deletion increased lesion formation in hypercholesterolemic mice, indicating an atheroprotective function. Mechanistic insights revealed that EPAS1 protects arteries by maintaining endothelial proliferation by positively regulating the expression of the fatty acid-handling molecules CD36 (cluster of differentiation 36) and LIPG (endothelial type lipase G) to increase fatty acid beta-oxidation.
Conclusions: Endothelial EPAS1 attenuates atherosclerosis at sites of disturbed flow by maintaining EC proliferation via fatty acid uptake and metabolism. This endothelial repair pathway is inhibited in obesity, suggesting a novel triglyceride-PHD2 modulation pathway suppressing EPAS1 expression. These findings have implications for therapeutic strategies addressing vascular dysfunction in obesity.
期刊介绍:
Circulation Research is a peer-reviewed journal that serves as a forum for the highest quality research in basic cardiovascular biology. The journal publishes studies that utilize state-of-the-art approaches to investigate mechanisms of human disease, as well as translational and clinical research that provide fundamental insights into the basis of disease and the mechanism of therapies.
Circulation Research has a broad audience that includes clinical and academic cardiologists, basic cardiovascular scientists, physiologists, cellular and molecular biologists, and cardiovascular pharmacologists. The journal aims to advance the understanding of cardiovascular biology and disease by disseminating cutting-edge research to these diverse communities.
In terms of indexing, Circulation Research is included in several prominent scientific databases, including BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Chemical Abstracts, Current Contents, EMBASE, and MEDLINE. This ensures that the journal's articles are easily discoverable and accessible to researchers in the field.
Overall, Circulation Research is a reputable publication that attracts high-quality research and provides a platform for the dissemination of important findings in basic cardiovascular biology and its translational and clinical applications.