| First Author | Lim WS | Year | 2008 |
| Journal | Circulation | Volume | 117 |
| Issue | 7 | Pages | 940-51 |
| PubMed ID | 18227389 | Mgi Jnum | J:145081 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3833486 | Doi | 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.711275 |
| Citation | Lim WS, et al. (2008) Signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 is critical for apoptosis in macrophages subjected to endoplasmic reticulum stress in vitro and in advanced atherosclerotic lesions in vivo. Circulation 117(7):940-51 |
| abstractText | BACKGROUND: Macrophage apoptosis is a critical process in the formation of necrotic cores in vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. In vitro and in vivo data suggest that macrophage apoptosis in advanced atheromata may be triggered by a combination of endoplasmic reticulum stress and engagement of the type A scavenger receptor, which together induce death through a rise in cytosolic calcium and activation of toll-like receptor-4. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using both primary peritoneal macrophages and studies in advanced atheromata in vivo, we introduce signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT1) as a critical and necessary component of endoplasmic reticulum stress/type A scavenger receptor-induced macrophage apoptosis. We show that STAT1 is serine phosphorylated in macrophages subjected to type A scavenger receptor ligands and endoplasmic reticulum stress in a manner requiring cytosolic calcium, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, and toll-like receptor-4. Remarkably, apoptosis was inhibited by approximately 80% to 90% (P<0.05) by STAT1 deficiency or calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II inhibition. In vivo, nuclear Ser-P-STAT1 was found in macrophage-rich regions of advanced murine and human atheromata. Most important, macrophage apoptosis was decreased by 61% (P=0.034) and plaque necrosis by 34% (P=0.02) in the plaques of fat-fed low density lipoprotein receptor null Ldlr-/- mice transplanted with Stat1-/- bone marrow. CONCLUSIONS: STAT1 is critical for endoplasmic reticulum stress/type A scavenger receptor-induced apoptosis in primary tissue macrophages and in macrophage apoptosis in advanced atheromata. These findings suggest a potentially important role for STAT1-mediated macrophage apoptosis in atherosclerotic plaque progression. |
