title: [Metformin inhibits THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cell formation induced by lipopolysaccharide].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of metformin (Met) on THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cell formation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and observe the changes of lipid droplets (LDs) and LDs-associated proteins.
  
  
  METHODS
  THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages by 100 ng/mL phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 48 hours, and then the macrophages were further induced to generate foam cells by 50 μg/mL oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and 1 μg/mL LPS. During this process, these foam cells were treated with 0, 100, 200 μmol/L Met. Under the fluorescence microscope, the effect of Met on foam cell formation was evaluated by Oil red O staining and the number and morphology of LDs were observed by BODIPY493/503 staining. Intracellular triglyceride (TG) were extracted and measured by TG quantitative kits. The expressions of adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP) and tail-interacting protein of 47 kDa (TIP47) were detected by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the untreated group, the LDs in foam cells were reduced significantly and the size became smaller after treated with 100 or 200 μmol/L Met. What's more, the quantitative data showed that the intracellular TG content decreased markedly in a dose-dependent manner, and the TG content decreased about 25% in foam cells treated with 200 μmol/L Met. Western blotting showed that Met reduced the expression of ADRP, but not TIP47 in the THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Met could inhibit THP-1-derived foam cell formation induced by LPS, reduce intracellular lipid accumulation, and down-regulate the expression of ADRP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Zhonglin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Jiankuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Yuanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China. *Corresponding authors, E-mail: fengxuyang@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China. *Corresponding authors, E-mail: yejing@fmmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xuyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005487:Foam Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D066292:Lipid Droplets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D000070780:Perilipin-2; D000070796:Perilipin-3; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C000602982:PLIN2 protein, human; C038196:PLIN3 protein, human; D000070780:Perilipin-2; D000070796:Perilipin-3; D014280:Triglycerides; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D008687:Metformin; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate