Lysophosphatidylcholine induces early growth response factor-1 expression and activates the core promoter of PDGF-A chain in vascular endothelial cells.

Lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC), a polar phospholipid that is increased in atherogenic lipoproteins and atherosclerotic lesions, has been shown to transcriptionally induce the expression of endothelial genes relevant to atherogenesis. In cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs), we show that lyso-PC induces the expression of early growth response factor (Egr)-1 and thereby activates the proximal promoter of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A chain located 55 to 71 bp upstream from the transcription start site, which has been shown to be crucial for PDGF-A chain expression induced by fluid shear stress and fibroblast growth factor-1. Northern blot analyses showed that lyso-PC (10 to 20 micromol/L) transiently (30 minutes to 1 hour) induced expression of Egr-1 mRNA. Induced expression of Egr-1 mRNA, which was associated with increased amounts of Egr-1 protein in nuclei, preceded PDGF-A chain mRNA induction in lyso-PC-activated BAECS: Nuclear runoff assay revealed that lyso-PC stimulates transcription of the Egr-1 gene. Transient transfection of the oligonucleotide corresponding to the proximal promoter of the PDGF-A chain (oligo A) linked to the luciferase reporter gene revealed that lyso-PC can activate the core promoter of the PDGF-A chain by 5-fold. Insertion of a guanine at 3 sites in the oligo A abolished the lyso-PC-induced increases in luciferase activities. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay with use of radiolabeled oligo A showed a lyso-PC-inducible shift band, which was suppressed by excess amounts of unlabeled oligo A or an anti-Egr-1 antibody. In addition, lyso-PC-induced Egr-1 expression was inhibited by PD98059, a specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 (MEK1), suggesting that lyso-PC-induced expression of Egr-1 depends on the MEK1/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway. Taken together, transcriptional activation of Egr-1-dependent genes by this atherogenic lipid may be a key regulator of atherogenesis.