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Leipner J, Dederichs TS, von Ehr A, Rauterberg S, Ehlert C, Merz J, Dufner B, Hoppe N, Krebs K, Heidt T, von Zur Muehlen C, Stachon P, Ley K, Wolf D, Zirlik A, Bode C, Hilgendorf I, Härdtner C. Myeloid cell-specific Irf5 deficiency stabilizes atherosclerotic plaques in Apoe -/- mice. Mol Metab 2021; 53:101250. [PMID: 33991749 PMCID: PMC8178123 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 5 is a transcription factor known for promoting M1 type macrophage polarization in vitro. Given the central role of inflammatory macrophages in promoting atherosclerotic plaque progression, we hypothesize that myeloid cell-specific deletion of IRF5 is protective against atherosclerosis. METHODS Female Apoe-/-LysmCre/+Irf5fl/fl and Apoe-/-Irf5fl/fl mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet for three months. Atherosclerotic plaque size and compositions as well as inflammatory gene expression were analyzed. Mechanistically, IRF5-dependent bone marrow-derived macrophage cytokine profiles were tested under M1 and M2 polarizing conditions. Mixed bone marrow chimeras were generated to determine intrinsic IRF5-dependent effects on macrophage accumulation in atherosclerotic plaques. RESULTS Myeloid cell-specific Irf5 deficiency blunted LPS/IFNγ-induced inflammatory gene expression in vitro and in the atherosclerotic aorta in vivo. While atherosclerotic lesion size was not reduced in myeloid cell-specific Irf5-deficient Apoe-/- mice, plaque composition was favorably altered, resembling a stable plaque phenotype with reduced macrophage and lipid contents, reduced inflammatory gene expression and increased collagen deposition alongside elevated Mertk and Tgfβ expression. Irf5-deficient macrophages, when directly competing with wild type macrophages in the same mouse, were less prone to accumulate in atherosclerotic lesion, independent of monocyte recruitment. Irf5-deficient monocytes, when exposed to oxidized low density lipoprotein, were less likely to differentiate into macrophage foam cells, and Irf5-deficient macrophages proliferated less in the plaque. CONCLUSION Our study provides genetic evidence that selectively altering macrophage polarization induces a stable plaque phenotype in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Leipner
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Tsai-Sang Dederichs
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Alexander von Ehr
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Simon Rauterberg
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Carolin Ehlert
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Julian Merz
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Bianca Dufner
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Natalie Hoppe
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Katja Krebs
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Timo Heidt
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Constantin von Zur Muehlen
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Peter Stachon
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Klaus Ley
- La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology, Division of Inflammation Biology, 9420 Athena Circle, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
| | - Dennis Wolf
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Andreas Zirlik
- LKH-University Hospital Graz, Department of Cardiology, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036, Graz, Austria.
| | - Christoph Bode
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Ingo Hilgendorf
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Carmen Härdtner
- University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
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Härdtner C, Kornemann J, Krebs K, Ehlert CA, Jander A, Zou J, Starz C, Rauterberg S, Sharipova D, Dufner B, Hoppe N, Dederichs TS, Willecke F, Stachon P, Heidt T, Wolf D, von Zur Mühlen C, Madl J, Kohl P, Kaeser R, Boettler T, Pieterman EJ, Princen HMG, Ho-Tin-Noé B, Swirski FK, Robbins CS, Bode C, Zirlik A, Hilgendorf I. Inhibition of macrophage proliferation dominates plaque regression in response to cholesterol lowering. Basic Res Cardiol 2020; 115:78. [PMID: 33296022 PMCID: PMC7725697 DOI: 10.1007/s00395-020-00838-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Statins induce plaque regression characterized by reduced macrophage content in humans, but the underlying mechanisms remain speculative. Studying the translational APOE*3-Leiden.CETP mouse model with a humanized lipoprotein metabolism, we find that systemic cholesterol lowering by oral atorvastatin or dietary restriction inhibits monocyte infiltration, and reverses macrophage accumulation in atherosclerotic plaques. Contrary to current believes, none of (1) reduced monocyte influx (studied by cell fate mapping in thorax-shielded irradiation bone marrow chimeras), (2) enhanced macrophage egress (studied by fluorescent bead labeling and transfer), or (3) atorvastatin accumulation in murine or human plaque (assessed by mass spectrometry) could adequately account for the observed loss in macrophage content in plaques that undergo phenotypic regression. Instead, suppression of local proliferation of macrophages dominates phenotypic plaque regression in response to cholesterol lowering: the lower the levels of serum LDL-cholesterol and lipid contents in murine aortic and human carotid artery plaques, the lower the rates of in situ macrophage proliferation. Our study identifies macrophage proliferation as the predominant turnover determinant and an attractive target for inducing plaque regression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Härdtner
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jan Kornemann
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katja Krebs
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Carolin A Ehlert
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alina Jander
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jiadai Zou
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christopher Starz
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Simon Rauterberg
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Diana Sharipova
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bianca Dufner
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Natalie Hoppe
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tsai-Sang Dederichs
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Florian Willecke
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Peter Stachon
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Timo Heidt
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dennis Wolf
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Constantin von Zur Mühlen
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Josef Madl
- Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Peter Kohl
- Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Rafael Kaeser
- Department of Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-University Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Boettler
- Department of Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-University Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Elsbeth J Pieterman
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)-Metabolic Health Research, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Hans M G Princen
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)-Metabolic Health Research, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Benoît Ho-Tin-Noé
- INSERM Unit 1148, University Paris Diderot, and Laboratory for Vascular Translational Science, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Filip K Swirski
- Center of Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Clinton S Robbins
- Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christoph Bode
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Zirlik
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Cardiology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Ingo Hilgendorf
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology I, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 55 Hugstetter St, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
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