Toll-Like Receptor 9 Plays a Pivotal Role in Angiotensin II-Induced Atherosclerosis.

Abstract

Background Toll-like receptor ( TLR ) 9 recognizes bacterial DNA , activating innate immunity, whereas it also provokes inflammation in response to fragmented DNA released from mammalian cells. We investigated whether TLR 9 contributes to the development of vascular inflammation and atherogenesis using apolipoprotein E-deficient ( Apoe -/-) mice. Methods and Results Tlr9-deficient Apoe -/- ( Tlr9 -/- Apoe -/-) mice and Apoe -/- mice on a Western-type diet received subcutaneous angiotensin II infusion (1000 ng/kg per minute) for 28 days. Angiotensin II increased the plasma level of double-stranded DNA, an endogenous ligand of TLR 9, in these mice. Genetic deletion or pharmacologic blockade of TLR 9 in angiotensin II-infused Apoe -/- mice attenuated atherogenesis in the aortic arch ( P<0.05), reduced the accumulation of lipid and macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques, and decreased RNA expression of inflammatory molecules in the aorta with no alteration of metabolic parameters. On the other hand, restoration of TLR 9 in bone marrow in Tlr9 -/- Apoe -/- mice promoted atherogenesis in the aortic arch ( P<0.05). A TLR 9 agonist markedly promoted proinflammatory activation of Apoe -/- macrophages, partially through p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. In addition, genomic DNA extracted from macrophages promoted inflammatory molecule expression more effectively in Apoe -/- macrophages than in Tlr9 -/- Apoe -/- macrophages. Furthermore, in humans, circulating double-stranded DNA in the coronary artery positively correlated with inflammatory features of coronary plaques determined by optical coherence tomography in patients with acute myocardial infarction ( P<0.05). Conclusions TLR 9 plays a pivotal role in the development of vascular inflammation and atherogenesis through proinflammatory activation of macrophages. TLR 9 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.

• Authors: Daiju Fukuda, Sachiko Nishimoto, Kunduziayi Aini, Atsushi Tanaka, Tsuyoshi Nishiguchi, Joo-Ri Kim-Kaneyama, Xiao-Feng Lei, Kiyoshi Masuda, Takuya Naruto, Kimie Tanaka, Yasutomi Higashikuni, Yoichiro Hirata, Shusuke Yagi, Kenya Kusunose, Hirotsugu Yamada, Takeshi Soeki, Issei Imoto, Takashi Akasaka, Michio Shimabukuro, Masataka Sata
• Journal: Journal of the American Heart Association (J Am Heart Assoc) Vol. 8 Issue 7 Pg. e010860 (04 02 2019) ISSN: 2047-9980 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 30905257 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Ccl2 protein, mouse
• Cell-Free Nucleic Acids
• Chemokine CCL2
• Lipids
• RNA, Messenger
• Tlr9 protein, mouse
• Toll-Like Receptor 9
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Vasoconstrictor Agents
• Angiotensin II

Topics

• Aged
• Angiotensin II (toxicity)
• Animals
• Aorta, Thoracic (pathology)
• Atherosclerosis (chemically induced, genetics, immunology, pathology)
• Bone Marrow Transplantation
• Cell-Free Nucleic Acids (blood, immunology)
• Chemokine CCL2 (genetics, immunology)
• Female
• Humans
• In Vitro Techniques
• Inflammation (genetics, immunology)
• Lipids
• Macrophages (immunology, pathology)
• Macrophages, Peritoneal (immunology)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Knockout
• Mice, Knockout, ApoE
• Microscopy, Electron
• Myocardial Infarction (blood, therapy)
• Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
• Plaque, Atherosclerotic (genetics, immunology, pathology)
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Toll-Like Receptor 9 (antagonists & inhibitors, genetics, immunology)
• Tomography, Optical Coherence
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (genetics, immunology)
• Vasoconstrictor Agents (toxicity)