title: Regulation of macrophage cholesterol efflux and liver X receptor α activation by nicotine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the characteristics of liver X receptor α (LXRα) and its target gene expression, as well as cholesterol efflux in human macrophages treated by nicotine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human monocyte-derived macrophages were collected. Before apoA-I-mediated human monocyte-derived macrophage cholesterol efflux, and mRNA expression of LXRα, and some of its target genes being detected, the macrophages were induced with or without nicotine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pre-incubation of Human monocyte-derived macrophages with nicotine, cholesterol efflux was suppressed to apolipoprotein AI. Nicotine also inhibited LXRα and some of its target genes mRNA expression involved cholesterol metabolism, and facilitated some inflammatory genes expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The changed function of cholesterol efflux and some genes expression may be the pathogenetic cause, and LXR activity of macrophage may offer potential therapeutic benefit in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Thus nicotine can regulate foam cell formation by inhibiting LXR pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Region Jinan 250031, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hongming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Region Jinan 250031, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College Guilin 541000, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Zongjie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qian
keywords: Nicotine; cholesterol efflux; human monocyte-derived macrophage; liver X receptor