Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-2 deficiency leads to inhibition of macrophage proinflammatory activities and atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a biologically active sphingolipid that has pleiotropic effects in a variety of cell types including ECs, SMCs, and macrophages, all of which are central to the development of atherosclerosis. It may therefore exert stimulatory and inhibitory effects on atherosclerosis. Here, we investigated the role of the S1P receptor S1PR2 in atherosclerosis by analyzing S1pr2-/- mice with an Apoe-/- background. S1PR2 was expressed in macrophages, ECs, and SMCs in atherosclerotic aortas. In S1pr2-/-Apoe-/- mice fed a high-cholesterol diet for 4 months, the area of the atherosclerotic plaque was markedly decreased, with reduced macrophage density, increased SMC density, increased eNOS phosphorylation, and downregulation of proinflammatory cytokines compared with S1pr2+/+Apoe-/- mice. Bone marrow chimera experiments indicated a major role for macrophage S1PR2 in atherogenesis. S1pr2-/-Apoe-/- macrophages showed diminished Rho/Rho kinase/NF-κB (ROCK/NF-κB) activity. Consequently, they also displayed reduced cytokine expression, reduced oxidized LDL uptake, and stimulated cholesterol efflux associated with decreased scavenger receptor expression and increased cholesterol efflux transporter expression. S1pr2-/-Apoe-/- ECs also showed reduced ROCK and NF-κB activities, with decreased MCP-1 expression and elevated eNOS phosphorylation. Pharmacologic S1PR2 blockade in S1pr2+/+Apoe-/- mice diminished the atherosclerotic plaque area in aortas and modified LDL accumulation in macrophages. We conclude therefore that S1PR2 plays a critical role in atherogenesis and may serve as a novel therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.
Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
Fei
F
Wang
Yasuo
Y
Okamoto
Isao
I
Inoki
Kazuaki
K
Yoshioka
Wa
W
Du
Xun
X
Qi
Noriko
N
Takuwa
Koichi
K
Gonda
Yasuhiko
Y
Yamamoto
Ryunosuke
R
Ohkawa
Takumi
T
Nishiuchi
Naotoshi
N
Sugimoto
Yutaka
Y
Yatomi
Kunitoshi
K
Mitsumori
Masahide
M
Asano
Makoto
M
Kinoshita
Yoh
Y
Takuwa
D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D000077214:Becaplermin; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D008246:Lysophospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000473:pathology; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D000081025:Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008246:Lysophospholipids; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid; D000081025:Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors; C533955:sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-2, mouse; D000077214:Becaplermin; C060506:sphingosine 1-phosphate; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D013110:Sphingosine