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Vass Z, Shenker-Horváth K, Bányai B, Vető KN, Török V, Gém JB, Nádasy GL, Kovács KB, Horváth EM, Jakus Z, Hunyady L, Szekeres M, Dörnyei G. Investigating the Role of Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptors in Vascular Function and Remodeling in a Hypercholesterolemic Mouse Model with Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor Double Knockout Animals. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9537. [PMID: 39273484 PMCID: PMC11395437 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2024] [Revised: 08/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypercholesterolemia forms the background of several cardiovascular pathologies. LDL receptor-knockout (LDLR-KO) mice kept on a high-fat diet (HFD) develop high cholesterol levels and atherosclerosis (AS). Cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1Rs) induce vasodilation, although their role in cardiovascular pathologies is still controversial. We aimed to reveal the effects of CB1Rs on vascular function and remodeling in hypercholesterolemic AS-prone LDLR-KO mice. Experiments were performed on a newly established LDLR and CB1R double-knockout (KO) mouse model, in which KO and wild-type (WT) mice were kept on an HFD or a control diet (CD) for 5 months. The vascular functions of abdominal aorta rings were tested with wire myography. The vasorelaxation effects of acetylcholine (Ach, 1 nM-1 µM) were obtained after phenylephrine precontraction, which was repeated with inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX), Nω-nitro-L-arginine (LNA), and indomethacin (INDO), respectively. Blood pressure was measured with the tail-cuff method. Immunostaining of endothelial NOS (eNOS) was carried out. An HFD significantly elevated the cholesterol levels in the LDLR-KO mice more than in the corresponding WT mice (mean values: 1039 ± 162 mg/dL vs. 91 ± 18 mg/dL), and they were not influenced by the presence of the CB1R gene. However, with the defect of the CB1R gene, damage to the Ach relaxation ability was moderated. The blood pressure was higher in the LDLR-KO mice compared to their WT counterparts (systolic/diastolic values: 110/84 ± 5.8/6.8 vs. 102/80 ± 3.3/2.5 mmHg), which was significantly elevated with an HFD (118/96 ± 1.9/2 vs. 100/77 ± 3.4/3.1 mmHg, p < 0.05) but attenuated in the CB1R-KO HFD mice. The expression of eNOS was depressed in the HFD WT mice compared to those on the CD, but it was augmented if CB1R was knocked out. This newly established double-knockout mouse model provides a tool for studying the involvement of CB1Rs in the development of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. Our results indicate that knocking out the CB1R gene significantly attenuates vascular damage in hypercholesterolemic mice.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Male
- Mice
- Acetylcholine/pharmacology
- Atherosclerosis/metabolism
- Atherosclerosis/genetics
- Atherosclerosis/pathology
- Atherosclerosis/etiology
- Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects
- Disease Models, Animal
- Hypercholesterolemia/metabolism
- Hypercholesterolemia/genetics
- Hypercholesterolemia/pathology
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/metabolism
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/genetics
- Receptors, LDL/genetics
- Receptors, LDL/metabolism
- Receptors, LDL/deficiency
- Vascular Remodeling/drug effects
- Vasodilation/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Vass
- Department of Morphology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 17 Vas Street, 1088 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.V.); (K.S.-H.); (K.N.V.); (V.T.); (G.D.)
| | - Kinga Shenker-Horváth
- Department of Morphology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 17 Vas Street, 1088 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.V.); (K.S.-H.); (K.N.V.); (V.T.); (G.D.)
- Center for Sports Nutrition Science, Hungarian University of Sports Science, 42-48 Alkotás Street, 1123 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bálint Bányai
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 37-47 Tűzoltó Street, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (B.B.); (J.B.G.); (G.L.N.); (K.B.K.); (E.M.H.); (Z.J.); (L.H.)
| | - Kinga Nóra Vető
- Department of Morphology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 17 Vas Street, 1088 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.V.); (K.S.-H.); (K.N.V.); (V.T.); (G.D.)
| | - Viktória Török
- Department of Morphology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 17 Vas Street, 1088 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.V.); (K.S.-H.); (K.N.V.); (V.T.); (G.D.)
| | - Janka Borbála Gém
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 37-47 Tűzoltó Street, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (B.B.); (J.B.G.); (G.L.N.); (K.B.K.); (E.M.H.); (Z.J.); (L.H.)
| | - György L. Nádasy
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 37-47 Tűzoltó Street, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (B.B.); (J.B.G.); (G.L.N.); (K.B.K.); (E.M.H.); (Z.J.); (L.H.)
| | - Kinga Bernadett Kovács
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 37-47 Tűzoltó Street, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (B.B.); (J.B.G.); (G.L.N.); (K.B.K.); (E.M.H.); (Z.J.); (L.H.)
| | - Eszter Mária Horváth
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 37-47 Tűzoltó Street, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (B.B.); (J.B.G.); (G.L.N.); (K.B.K.); (E.M.H.); (Z.J.); (L.H.)
| | - Zoltán Jakus
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 37-47 Tűzoltó Street, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (B.B.); (J.B.G.); (G.L.N.); (K.B.K.); (E.M.H.); (Z.J.); (L.H.)
| | - László Hunyady
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 37-47 Tűzoltó Street, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (B.B.); (J.B.G.); (G.L.N.); (K.B.K.); (E.M.H.); (Z.J.); (L.H.)
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, 2 Magyar Tudósok Körútja, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mária Szekeres
- Department of Morphology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 17 Vas Street, 1088 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.V.); (K.S.-H.); (K.N.V.); (V.T.); (G.D.)
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 37-47 Tűzoltó Street, 1094 Budapest, Hungary; (B.B.); (J.B.G.); (G.L.N.); (K.B.K.); (E.M.H.); (Z.J.); (L.H.)
| | - Gabriella Dörnyei
- Department of Morphology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 17 Vas Street, 1088 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.V.); (K.S.-H.); (K.N.V.); (V.T.); (G.D.)
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Yan Z, Liu Z, Yang B, Zhu X, Song E, Song Y. Long-term exposure of molybdenum disulfide nanosheets leads to hepatic lipid accumulation and atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E deficient mice. NANOIMPACT 2023; 30:100462. [PMID: 37059265 DOI: 10.1016/j.impact.2023.100462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Before their large-scale applications, it is necessary to understand the biological effects of nanomaterials. Although two-dimensional nanomaterials (2D NMs) molybdenum disulfide nanosheets (MoS2 NSs) are promising in biomedical fields, the current knowledge regarding their toxicities is inadequate. Using apolipoprotein E deficient (ApoE-/-) mice as a long-term exposure model, this study demonstrated that intravenous (i.v.) injection of MoS2 NSs most accumulated in the liver and caused in situ hepatic damage. Histopathological examination indicated severe infiltration of inflammatory cells and irregular central veins in the MoS2 NSs-treated mouse liver. Meanwhile, the overwhelming expressions of inflammatory cytokines, dyslipidemia, and dysregulated hepatic lipid metabolism implied the potential vascular toxicity of MoS2 NSs. Indeed, our result supported that MoS2 NSs exposure is highly associated with atherosclerotic progression. This study provided the first line of evidence on the vascular toxicity of MoS2 NSs, which remind scientists to pay attention to the rational use of MoS2 NSs, especially in the biomedical fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zixuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Bingwei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Erqun Song
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
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Is microRNA-33 an Appropriate Target in the Treatment of Atherosclerosis? Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15040902. [PMID: 36839260 PMCID: PMC9958916 DOI: 10.3390/nu15040902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis is a complicated process involving regulation of cholesterol synthesis, dietary uptake and bile acid synthesis and excretion. Reverse cholesterol transport, described as the transfer of cholesterol from non-hepatic cells, including foam cells in atherosclerotic plaques, to the liver and then its excretion in the feces is important part of this regulation. High-density lipoproteins are the key mediators of reverse cholesterol transport. On the other hand, microRNA-33 was identified as a key regulator of cholesterol homeostasis. Recent studies indicate the impact of microRNA-33 not only on cellular cholesterol efflux and HDL production but also on bile metabolism in the liver. As proper coordination of cholesterol metabolism is essential to human health, discussion of recent findings in this field may open new perspectives in the microRNA-dependent treatment of a cholesterol imbalance.
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