Severe hyperhomocysteinemia promotes bone marrow-derived and resident inflammatory monocyte differentiation and atherosclerosis in LDLr/CBS-deficient mice.
BACKGROUND
Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) accelerates atherosclerosis and increases inflammatory monocytes (MC) in peripheral tissues. However, its causative role in atherosclerosis is not well established and its effect on vascular inflammation has not been studied. The underlying mechanism is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined the causative role of HHcy in atherogenesis and its effect on inflammatory MC differentiation.


RESULTS
We generated a novel HHcy and hyperlipidemia mouse model, in which cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr) genes were deficient (Ldlr(-/-) Cbs(-/+)). Severe HHcy (plasma homocysteine (Hcy)=275 μmol/L) was induced by a high methionine diet containing sufficient basal levels of B vitamins. Plasma Hcy levels were lowered to 46 μmol/L from 244 μmol/L by vitamin supplementation, which elevated plasma folate levels. Bone marrow (BM)-derived cells were traced by the transplantation of BM cells from enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgenic mice after sublethal irradiation of the recipient. HHcy accelerated atherosclerosis and promoted Ly6C(high) inflammatory MC differentiation of both BM and tissue origins in the aortas and peripheral tissues. It also elevated plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1; increased vessel wall MC accumulation; and increased macrophage maturation. Hcy-lowering therapy reversed HHcy-induced lesion formation, plasma cytokine increase, and blood and vessel inflammatory MC (Ly6C(high+middle)) accumulation. Plasma Hcy levels were positively correlated with plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines. In primary mouse splenocytes, L-Hcy promoted rIFNγ-induced inflammatory MC differentiation, as well as increased TNF-α, IL-6, and superoxide anion production in inflammatory MC subsets. Antioxidants and folic acid reversed L-Hcy-induced inflammatory MC differentiation and oxidative stress in inflammatory MC subsets.


CONCLUSIONS
HHcy causes vessel wall inflammatory MC differentiation and macrophage maturation of both BM and tissue origins, leading to atherosclerosis via an oxidative stress-related mechanism.
Department of Pharmacology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
Daqing
D
Zhang
Pu
P
Fang
Xiaohua
X
Jiang
Jun
J
Nelson
Jodene K
JK
Moore
Warren D
WD
Kruger
Remus M
RM
Berretta
Steven R
SR
Houser
Xiaofeng
X
Yang
Hong
H
Wang
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008190:Lyases / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000494:pharmacology
D000975:Antioxidants; C491768:Ccl2 protein, mouse; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008055:Lipids; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D013481:Superoxides; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008190:Lyases; C019965:cystathionine beta-lyase