Nifedipine induces peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma activation in macrophages and suppresses the progression of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.
OBJECTIVE
Nifedipine, an L-type calcium channel blocker, protects against the progression of atherosclerosis. We investigated the molecular basis of the antiatherosclerotic effect of nifedipine in macrophages and apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.


RESULTS
In macrophages, nifedipine increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) activity without increasing PPARgamma-binding activity. Amlodipine, another L-type calcium channel blocker, and 1,2-bis-(o-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,-N',N'-tetraacetic acid tetraacetoxy-methyl ester (BAPTA-AM), a calcium chelator, decreased PPARgamma activity, suggesting that nifedipine does not activate PPARgamma via calcium channel blocker activity. Inactivation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 suppressed PPARgamma2-Ser112 phosphorylation and induced PPARgamma activation. Nifedipine suppressed extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation and PPARgamma2-Ser112 phosphorylation, and mutating PPARgamma2-Ser112 to Ala abrogated nifedipine-mediated PPARgamma activation. These results suggested that nifedipine inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activity and PPARgamma2-Ser112 phosphorylation, leading to PPARgamma activation. Nifedipine inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression and induced ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 mRNA expression, and these effects were abrogated by small interfering RNA for PPARgamma. Furthermore, in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, nifedipine treatment decreased atherosclerotic lesion size, phosphorylation of PPARgamma2-Ser112 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNA expression and increased ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 expression in the aorta.


CONCLUSIONS
Nifedipine unlike amlodipine inhibits PPARgamma-Ser phosphorylation and activates PPARgamma to suppress monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression and induce ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 expression in macrophages. These effects may induce antiatherogenic effects in hypertensive patients.
Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
Norio
N
Ishii
Takeshi
T
Matsumura
Hiroyuki
H
Kinoshita
Kazuki
K
Fukuda
Hiroyuki
H
Motoshima
Takafumi
T
Senokuchi
Saya
S
Nakao
Atsuyuki
A
Tsutsumi
Shokei
S
Kim-Mitsuyama
Teruo
T
Kawada
Motohiro
M
Takeya
Nobuhiro
N
Miyamura
Takeshi
T
Nishikawa
Eiichi
E
Araki
D064286:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000378:metabolism; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000819:agonists* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection
D064286:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; C491768:Ccl2 protein, mouse; D002614:Chelating Agents; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D005419:Flavonoids; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D047495:PPAR gamma; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C440499:lipopolysaccharide, Escherichia coli O111 B4; C070379:1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid acetoxymethyl ester; D017311:Amlodipine; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D009543:Nifedipine; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one