Project description:Hypercholesterolemia, the driving force of atherosclerosis, accelerates the expansion and mobilization of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). The molecular determinants connecting hypercholesterolemia with hematopoiesis are underexplored. Here we report that a novel somite-derived pro-hematopoietic cue, AIBP, orchestrates HSPC emergence from the hemogenic endothelium, a type of specialized endothelium manifesting hematopoietic potential. Mechanistically, AIBP-mediated cholesterol efflux activates endothelial Srebp2, the master transcription factor for cholesterol biosynthesis, which transactivates Notch and promotes HSPC emergence. Srebp2 inhibition impairs hypercholesterolemia-induced HSPC expansion. Srebp2 activation and Notch upregulation are associated with HSPC expansion in hypercholesterolemic human subjects. Genome-wide ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, and ATAC-seq indicate that Srebp2 trans-regulates Notch pathway genes required for hematopoiesis. Our studies outline a novel AIBP-regulated Srebp2-dependent paradigm for HSPC emergence in development and HPSC expansion in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Project description:Hypercholesterolemia, the driving force of atherosclerosis, accelerates the expansion and mobilization of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). The molecular determinants connecting hypercholesterolemia with hematopoiesis are unclear. Here, we report that a somite-derived prohematopoietic cue, AIBP, orchestrates HSPC emergence from the hemogenic endothelium, a type of specialized endothelium manifesting hematopoietic potential. Mechanistically, AIBP-mediated cholesterol efflux activates endothelial Srebp2, the master transcription factor for cholesterol biosynthesis, which in turn transactivates Notch and promotes HSPC emergence. Srebp2 inhibition impairs hypercholesterolemia-induced HSPC expansion. Srebp2 activation and Notch up-regulation are associated with HSPC expansion in hypercholesterolemic human subjects. Genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) indicate that Srebp2 transregulates Notch pathway genes required for hematopoiesis. Our studies outline an AIBP-regulated Srebp2-dependent paradigm for HSPC emergence in development and HPSC expansion in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Project description:Impaired cholesterol efflux pathways is a hallmark of lung adenocarcinoma. We used single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze the impact of defective cholesterol efflux on cell diversity in lung tumor
Project description:The activation of Liver X Receptor (LXR) promotes cholesterol efflux and repression of inflammatory genes with anti-atherogenic consequences. The mechanisms underlying repressive activity of LXR are controversial and have been attributed to cholesterol efflux or to transrepression of Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) activity. Here, we find that cholesterol efflux contributes to LXR repression, while direct repressive functions of LXR also play a key role but are independent of AP-1. We use ATAC-seq to show that LXR reduces chromatin accessibility in cis at inflammatory gene enhancers containing LXR binding sites. Targets of this repressive activity are associated with leukocyte adhesion and neutrophil migration, and LXR agonist treatment suppresses neutrophil recruitment in a mouse model of sterile peritonitis. These studies suggest a model of repression in which liganded LXR binds in cis to canonical nuclear receptor binding sites and represses pro-atherogenic leukocyte functions in tandem with induction of LXR targets mediating cholesterol efflux.
Project description:The activation of Liver X Receptor (LXR) promotes cholesterol efflux and repression of inflammatory genes with anti-atherogenic consequences. The mechanisms underlying repressive activity of LXR are controversial and have been attributed to cholesterol efflux or to transrepression of Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) activity. Here, we find that cholesterol efflux contributes to LXR repression, while direct repressive functions of LXR also play a key role but are independent of AP-1. We use ATAC-seq to show that LXR reduces chromatin accessibility in cis at inflammatory gene enhancers containing LXR binding sites. Targets of this repressive activity are associated with leukocyte adhesion and neutrophil migration, and LXR agonist treatment suppresses neutrophil recruitment in a mouse model of sterile peritonitis. These studies suggest a model of repression in which liganded LXR binds in cis to canonical nuclear receptor binding sites and represses pro-atherogenic leukocyte functions in tandem with induction of LXR targets mediating cholesterol efflux.
Project description:Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) have been shown to have important roles in the malignant progression of various cancers. However, macrophages also posses intrinsic tumoricidal activity and can promote the activity of cytotoxic lymphocytes, but they rapidly adopt an alternative phenotype within tumors, associated with immune-suppression and trophic functions that support tumor growth. The mechanisms that promote TAM polarization in the tumor-microenvironment remain poorly understood, these mechanisms may represent important therapeutic targets to block the tumor-promoting functions of TAM and restore their anti-tumor potential. Here we have characterized TAM in a mouse model of metastatic ovarian cancer. We show that ovarian cancer cells promote membrane-cholesterol efflux and the depletion of lipid rafts from macrophages. Increased cholesterol efflux promoted IL-4 mediated reprogramming while inhibiting IFNg-induced gene expression. These studies reveal an unexpected role for tumor-induced membrane-cholesterol efflux in driving the IL-4 signaling and the tumor-promoting functions of TAM, while rendering them refractory to pro-inflammatory stimuli. Thus, preventing cholesterol efflux in TAM could represent a novel therapeutic strategy to block pro-tumor functions and restore anti-tumor immunity.
Project description:ATP binding cassette subfamily member 1 (ABCA1) and G1 (ABCG1) are cholesterol efflux transporter to prevent excess intracellular cholesterol accumulation. We here report the deletion of Abca1 and Abcg1 results in the significant increased expression of Cd38, a multi-faceted ectoenzyme with NADase activity.
Project description:The relation of serial changes in plaque morphology of obstructive nonculprit lesions to HDL efflux, inflammation and transcriptome perturbations in response to high-dose statin therapy (YELLOW II study). YELLOW II is a prospective single center study. Stable patients who were scheduled for elective coronary angiography and/or coronary artery stenting were screened for this study. The final target population were patients with multivessel disease requiring staged intervention, culprit vessel initially and non-culprit vessel later, with maxLCBI4mm greater than 150 by NIRS. Patients underwent PCI for a culprit lesion followed by OCT and NIRS/IVUS of an obstructive non-culprit lesion (NCL). All subjects received rosuvastatin, 40 mg every day for 8-12 weeks. The NCL was reimaged and underwent intervention as a part of staged intervention. Blood samples were obtained for cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) quantification and peripheral PBMC isolation. Despite the extensive evidence for the beneficial effects of statins on clinical outcomes, the mechanisms underlying these effects in remain elusive. In a prospective study, 85 patients with stable multivessel coronary artery disease underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for a culprit lesion followed by intracoronary multi-modality imaging including optical coherence tomography (OCT) of an obstructive NCL. All subjects received 40 mg of rosuvastatin every day for 8-12 weeks, when the NCL was reimaged and intervention was performed. Blood samples were drawn at both times to assess cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) and transcriptomic profile in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).
Project description:Cholesterol is an essential cell membrane component and precursor in metabolic pathways. Control of cholesterol levels is essential to human health. The endocrine hormone FGF19 potently inhibits CYP7A1, which controls a key step in cholesterol catabolism. However, the molecular mechanisms that integrate FGF19 with other cholesterol metabolic pathways are incompletely understood. Here we show that FGF19 and analogue promote HDL biogenesis and cholesterol efflux from the liver by selectively modulating liver X receptor signaling without inducing hepatic steatosis. We further identify ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 and FGFR4 as mediators of this effect. In dyslipidemic Apoe-/- mice fed a Western diet, treatment with FGF19 analogue dramatically reduced atherosclerotic lesion area in aortas. In healthy human volunteers, FGF19 analogue caused a placebo-adjusted increase in HDL cholesterol levels of 26% in seven days. These findings outline a regulatory role for FGF19 in cholesterol metabolism and advance our understanding of the mechanisms that coordinate sterol homeostasis. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression affected by FGF19 treatment in mice.
Project description:Intact cholesterol homeostasis helps to maintain hematopoietic stem and multipotential progenitor cell (HSPC) quiescence. Mice with defects in cholesterol efflux pathways due to deficiencies of the ATP binding cassette transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1 displayed a dramatic increase in HSPC mobilization and extramedullary hematopoiesis. Increased extramedullary hematopoiesis was associated with elevated serum levels of G-CSF due to generation of IL-23 by splenic macrophages and dendritic cells. This favored hematopoietic lineage decisions toward granulocytes rather than macrophages in the bone marrow leading to impaired support for osteoblasts and decreased Cxcl12/SDF-1 production by mesenchymal progenitors. Greater HSPC mobilization and extramedullary hematopoiesis were reversed by raising HDL levels in Abca1(-/-)Abcg1(-/-) and Apoe(-/-) mice or in a mouse model of myeloproliferative neoplasm mediated by Flt3-ITD mutation. Our data identify a role of cholesterol efflux pathways in the control of HSPC mobilization. This may translate into therapeutic strategies for atherosclerosis and hematologic malignancies.