| First Author | Qiao M | Year | 2007 |
| Journal | Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol | Volume | 27 |
| Issue | 6 | Pages | 1375-82 |
| PubMed ID | 17363688 | Mgi Jnum | J:135086 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3790358 | Doi | 10.1161/ATVBAHA.107.142109 |
| Citation | Qiao M, et al. (2007) Increased expression of glutathione reductase in macrophages decreases atherosclerotic lesion formation in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 27(6):1375-82 |
| abstractText | OBJECTIVE: Thiol oxidative stress leads to macrophage dysfunction and cell injury, and has been implicated in the development of atherosclerotic lesions. We investigated if strengthening the glutathione-dependent antioxidant system in macrophages by overexpressing glutathione reductase (GR) decreases the severity of atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bone marrow cells infected with retroviral vectors expressing either enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) or an EGFP-fusion protein of cytosolic GR (GR(cyto)-EGFP) or mitochondrial GR (GR(mito)-EGFP) were transplanted into low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice. Five weeks after bone marrow transplantation, animals were challenged with a Western diet for 10 weeks. No differences in either plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels or peritoneal macrophage content were observed. However, mice reconstituted with either GR(cyto)-EGFP or GR(mito)-EGFP-expressing bone marrow had lesion areas (P<0.009) that were 32% smaller than recipients of EGFP-expressing bone marrow. In cultured macrophages, adenovirus-mediated overexpression of GR(cyto)-EGFP or GR(mito)-EGFP protected cells from mitochondrial hyperpolarization induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein. CONCLUSION: This study provides direct evidence that the glutathione-dependent antioxidant system in macrophages plays a critical role in atherogenesis, and suggests that thiol oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to macrophage injury in atherosclerotic lesions. |
