Vascular Biology |
From the Cardiovascular Research Center, CSIC-ICCC, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
Correspondence to Lina Badimon, Cardiovascular Research Center, CSIC-ICCC, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain. E-mail lbadimon{at}csic-iccc.santpau.es
| Abstract |
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Methods and Results The lipidic component of LDL was labeled with [3H] and the apolipoprotein component with [125I]. We found that >90% of intracellular CE derived from agLDL uptake was not associated with apoB100 degradation but was selectively taken up from agLDL. The inhibition of LRP1 expression by small interfering RNA treatment led to a decrease of 80±0.05% in agLDL-CE selective uptake. AgLDL induced intracellular CE accumulation without a concomitant CE synthesis. Cytosolic and cytoskeletal proteins were not required for CE transport. Electron and confocal microscopy experiments indicate that CE derived from agLDL accumulated in adipophilin-stained lipid droplets that were not removable by high-density lipoprotein.
Conclusions Taken together, these results demonstrate that LRP1 mediates the selective uptake of CE from agLDL and that CE derived from agLDL is not intracellularly processed but stored in lipid droplets in human VSMC.
LRP1-mediated aggregated low-density lipoprotein (agLDL) uptake induces intracellular cholesteryl ester (CE) accumulation. Our aim was to characterize the mechanism of agLDL internalization in human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Results demonstrate that LRP1 mediates the selective uptake of CE from agLDL and that CE derived from agLDL is not intracellularly processed but stored in lipid droplets in human VSMCs.
Key Words: LRP1 selective uptake cholesteryl ester adipophilin aggregated LDL
| Introduction |
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We demonstrated for the first time that: (1) intracellular CE accumulation in agLDL-exposed VSMC derives from LRP1-mediated agLDL-CE selective uptake; (2) this mechanism, as opposed to endocytic processes, does not involve the proteolytic lysosomal degradation of apoB100 and upregulation of cholesterol esterification rate; (3) different lysosomal, cytosolic, or cytoskeleton proteins fail to induce alterations in agLDL-CE intracellular accumulation, suggesting that these proteins are not strictly required for the intracellular transport of agLDL-CE; and (4) agLDL-CE accumulates in adipophilin-stained, CE-enriched lipid droplets that are not removable by HDL.
| Methods |
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AgLDL Subfractionation
AgLDL was subfractionated using a Cell Sorter (EPICS ALTRA). Two different fractions were collected according to their forward scatter (FS) signal. FS signal is related to particle size. The ratio of cholesterol:protein in total, small, and large aggregates was determined by spectrophotometric methods.
VSMC Culture
Primary cultures of human VSMC were from human coronary arteries of explanted hearts at transplant operations performed at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. VSMC were obtained by a modification of the explant technique as we described previously.58 VSMCs were used between passages 2 and 6.
To obtain LRP1-deficient cells [small interfering RNA (siRNA)-LRP1-VSMC], human VSMCs were transiently transfected with annealed siRNA (50 nmol/L). LRP1-specific sense and antisense oligodeoxynucleotides were synthesized by Ambion according to our previously published LRP1 target sequences.6 Fasta analysis (in the Genetic Computer Group Package) indicated that these sequences would not hybridize to other receptor sequences (including LDLrs) in the GenBank database. Cell transfection was performed with siPORT Amine in serum-free DMEM (1% glutamine) according to the kit instructions (SilencerTM siRNA Transfection kit; Ambion no. 1630). The cells did not take up trypan blue, and their morphology was not altered by the procedure. Extra wells were used in the experiments to test the inhibition of LRP1 mRNA and protein expression by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. HS-PG-depleted VSMCs were obtained by treating cells with heparinase I and heparinase III (HSI&III; 4 U/mL) 2 hours before and during LDL incubation (18 hours). HSI&III treatment was highly effective to degrade HS-PG in human VSMC, as demonstrated previously.11 LRP1-siRNA-VSMC and HS-PG-depleted VSMCs were incubated with lipoproteins following the specific conditions of the experimental procedure.
To obtain VSMC-overexpressing LRP1, VSMCs were preincubated with insulin (Ins; 10 nmol/L, 1 hour)21 or with dexamethasone (Dx; 2 µmol/L, 2 hours).22 Then VSMCs were washed and incubated with agLDL (100 µg/mL) for 18 hours.
To analyze the role of phagocytosis on agLDL uptake, VSMC were treated with cytochalasin B (1 µg/mL) for 2 hours. Then, VSMCs were washed and incubated with agLDL (100 µg/mL) for 18 hours.
Cholesterol Esterification Assay
This procedure is discussed in the online supplement.
Determination of Selective CE Uptake from Aggregated LDL
This procedure is discussed in the online supplement.
Immunocytochemistry and Electron Microscopy
These procedures were performed following previously described techniques5 and discussed in the online supplement.
Statistical Analysis
Data were expressed as mean±SEM. Multiple groups were compared by 1 factor ANOVA. Statistical significance was considered when P<0.05.
| Results |
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The involvement of LRP1 in agLDL-CE selective uptake has been demonstrated by inhibiting and overexpressing LRP1 expression in VSMC. As shown in Figure 2A, siRNA-LRP1-VSMC showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) in LRP1 mRNA expression (78.57±0.73%), but they did not show any significant change in LDLr mRNA expression. In agreement with the effects on LRP1 mRNA expression, siRNA-LRP1 almost completely abrogated LRP1 protein expression (Figure 2B). Both Ins and Dx significantly increased LRP1 protein expression from 2.01±0.25 AU to 3.39±0.3 AU and 2.98±0.4 AU, respectively (P<0.05; Figure 2B). No effect of LRP1 siRNA, Ins, or Dx treatment was observed on
-actinin. siRNA LRP1 inhibition led to agLDL-CE selective uptake decrease from 47.7±2 µg/mg protein to 9.54±0.38 µg/mg protein. On the contrary, Ins and Dx-LRP1 upregulation led to agLDL-CE selective uptake increase from 47.7±2 µg/mg protein to 53±1.22 µg/mg protein and 55±1.11 µg/mg protein, respectively (P<0.05; Figure 2C). In agreement, agLDL-derived CE accumulation was inhibited from 138±2.98 µg/mg protein to 27.08±1.75 µg/mg protein by siRNA-LRP1 and increased to 151±0.77 µg/mg protein and 197±1.90 µg/mg protein, respectively, by Dx and Ins treatment (Figure 2D). No significant alterations on FC content were observed by any treatment.
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Cytochalasin B, a phagocytosis inhibitor, increased agLDL-CE selective uptake by 1.47-fold (Figure I, available online at http://atvb.ahajournals.org) and HS-PG depletion did not lead to significant alterations of CE selective uptake in VSMC (Figure 2C). These results demonstrate a major role for LRP1 but not for HS-PG on agLDL-CE selective uptake in human VSMCs.
Effect of nLDL and agLDL on CE Synthesis and CE Accumulation in VSMCs
VSMCs were incubated overnight with 0.2 mmol/L [14C]-oleate-albumin complex and simultaneously with increasing concentrations of nLDL and agLDL (50, 100, and 200 µg/mL). nLDL induced a moderate CE synthesis, from 0.61±0.11 at 50 µg/mL to 2.18±0.27 nmol/mg protein at 200 µg/mL (Figure II, available online at http://atvb.ahajournals.org). nLDL slightly increased the CE content of VSMCs (from 2.5±0.05 at 50 µg/mL to 10.47±0.04 µg CE/mg protein at 200 µg/mL; Figure II, available online at http://atvb.ahajournals.org). In contrast, agLDL induced a strong intracellular CE accumulation (from 41±0.25 at 50 µg/mL to 100±0.36 µg CE/mg protein at 200 µg/mL; Figure II) concomitantly with a moderate CE synthesis, from 0.27±0.01 at 50 µg/mL to 1.50±0.02 nmol/mg protein at 200 µg/mL (Figure II). Intracellular FC remained unaltered in the presence of nLDL or agLDL in agreement with previous results.58
Effect of Lysosomal, Cytoskeleton, and Protein Kinase Inhibitors on agLDL-Derived CE Content of VSMCs
Whereas the lysosomal inhibitor chloroquine induced a 19-fold increase in CE derived from nLDL uptake, it did not significantly increase CE derived from agLDL uptake. A myosin ATPase inhibitor, 2,3-butanedione monoxime, and a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, increased CE accumulation from nLDL by 1.55-fold and 1.89-fold, respectively. However, these agents did not exert a significant effect on CE accumulation from agLDL uptake. A serine/threonine protein kinase inhibitor (H89) and a specific protein kinase C inhibitor (bisindolylmaleimide) strongly upregulated CE accumulation in nLDL-exposed VSMCs by 4.72-fold and 3.29-fold, respectively. However, they did not significantly alter agLDL-derived CE accumulation. Additionally, 2,3-butanedione monoxime, wortmannin, H-89, and bisindolylmaleimide slightly increased FC in nLDL-exposed VSMCs, whereas they did not exert any effect on FC content of agLDL-exposed VSMCs. A potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor (genistein) did not show any significant effect on nLDL or agLDL-derived CE. Cytochalasin B (a phagocytosis inhibitor) increased CE accumulation from nLDL and agLDL by 2.6-fold and 2.45-fold, respectively (Table).
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Fluorescence microscopy experiments were carried out to visualize the pattern of internalization of either 1,1-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindo-carbocyamine (DiI)-nLDL or DiI-agLDL (50 µg/mL) with or without chloroquine (75 µmol/L). After removal of unbound DiI-LDL by extensive washing, the internalized DiI-LDL (during the 4-hour incubation) was observed under fluorescence microscopy. Whereas chloroquine increased DiI-nLDL fluorescence in vesicles, leading to an internalization pattern similar to that observed for agLDL internalization, chloroquine did not apparently change the pattern of agLDL internalization (Figure III, available online at http://atvb.ahajournals.org).
agLDL CE Accumulates in Lipid Droplets That Are Not Removed by HDL
Conventional thin-section electron microscopy showed agLDL entering VSMCs (Figure 3A) and forming enormous lipid-filled vacuoles (Figure 3B). As observed in Figure 3, these lipidic vacuoles are surrounded by a membrane that seems to be continuous with that of endoplasmic reticulum. Confocal microscopy (Figure 4A) shows that adipophilin, considered a marker of lipid droplet formation,23,24 colocalizes with the lipid. As shown in Figure 4B, most cytoplasmic lipid vacuoles are positively marked by adipophilin. These results suggest that CE taken through selective uptake from agLDL accumulates in adipophilin-enriched lipid droplets.
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To analyze the effect of HDL on agLDL-derived CE, VSMCs were incubated with nLDL or agLDL (100 µg/mL) for 18 hours. VSMCs were then exhaustively washed and incubated with increasing concentrations of HDL (50 and 100 µg protein/mL) for an additional 48 hours. HDL (100 µg/mL) decreased the CE accumulation derived from nLDL uptake from 7.86±0.78 to 3.42±0.26 µg CE/mg protein at 100 µg/mL of HDL. In contrast, HDL did not exert any effect on CE accumulation derived from agLDL (Table I, available online at http://atvb.ahajournals.org). These results indicate that agLDL CE is not susceptible to removal by HDL.
| Discussion |
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In summary, CE derived from LRP1-mediated agLDL selective uptake and stored in lipid droplets surrounded by adipophilin contributes to the transformation of human VSMCs into foam cells and may, therefore, contribute to atherosclerosis. Additional studies are needed to gain insight into the functional implications of these lipid-rich VSMCs in atherosclerosis plaque progression and its complications.
| Acknowledgments |
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Received August 1, 2005; accepted October 17, 2005.
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