Denuja Karunakaran1, A Brianne Thrush1, My-Anh Nguyen1, Laura Richards1, Michele Geoffrion1, Ragunath Singaravelu1, Eleni Ramphos1, Prakriti Shangari1, Mireille Ouimet1, John P Pezacki1, Kathryn J Moore1, Ljubica Perisic1, Lars Maegdefessel1, Ulf Hedin1, Mary-Ellen Harper1, Katey J Rayner2. 1. From the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (D.K., M.-A.N., L.R., M.G., E.R., P.S., K.J.R.); Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (A.B.T., M.-A.N., R.S., J.P.P., M.-E.H., K.J.R.); National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (R.S., J.P.P.); Marc and Ruti Bell Program for Vascular Biology and Disease, The Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, New York University School of Medicine (M.O., K.J.M.); and Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery (L.P., U.H.) and Department of Medicine (L.M.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. 2. From the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (D.K., M.-A.N., L.R., M.G., E.R., P.S., K.J.R.); Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (A.B.T., M.-A.N., R.S., J.P.P., M.-E.H., K.J.R.); National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (R.S., J.P.P.); Marc and Ruti Bell Program for Vascular Biology and Disease, The Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, New York University School of Medicine (M.O., K.J.M.); and Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery (L.P., U.H.) and Department of Medicine (L.M.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. krayner@ottawaheart.ca.
Abstract
RATIONALE: Therapeutically targeting macrophage reverse cholesterol transport is a promising approach to treat atherosclerosis. Macrophage energy metabolism can significantly influence macrophage phenotype, but how this is controlled in foam cells is not known. Bioinformatic pathway analysis predicts that miR-33 represses a cluster of genes controlling cellular energy metabolism that may be important in macrophage cholesterol efflux. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that cellular energy status can influence cholesterol efflux from macrophages, and that miR-33 reduces cholesterol efflux via repression of mitochondrial energy metabolism pathways. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrated that macrophage cholesterol efflux is regulated by mitochondrial ATP production, and that miR-33 controls a network of genes that synchronize mitochondrial function. Inhibition of mitochondrial ATP synthase markedly reduces macrophage cholesterol efflux capacity, and anti-miR33 required fully functional mitochondria to enhance ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Specifically, anti-miR33 derepressed the novel target genes PGC-1α, PDK4, and SLC25A25 and boosted mitochondrial respiration and production of ATP. Treatment of atherosclerotic Apoe(-/-) mice with anti-miR33 oligonucleotides reduced aortic sinus lesion area compared with controls, despite no changes in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or other circulating lipids. Expression of miR-33a/b was markedly increased in human carotid atherosclerotic plaques compared with normal arteries, and there was a concomitant decrease in mitochondrial regulatory genes PGC-1α, SLC25A25, NRF1, and TFAM, suggesting these genes are associated with advanced atherosclerosis in humans. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that anti-miR33 therapy derepresses genes that enhance mitochondrial respiration and ATP production, which in conjunction with increased ABCA1 expression, works to promote macrophage cholesterol efflux and reduce atherosclerosis.
RATIONALE: Therapeutically targeting macrophage reverse cholesterol transport is a promising approach to treat atherosclerosis. Macrophage energy metabolism can significantly influence macrophage phenotype, but how this is controlled in foam cells is not known. Bioinformatic pathway analysis predicts that miR-33 represses a cluster of genes controlling cellular energy metabolism that may be important in macrophage cholesterol efflux. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that cellular energy status can influence cholesterol efflux from macrophages, and that miR-33 reduces cholesterol efflux via repression of mitochondrial energy metabolism pathways. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrated that macrophage cholesterol efflux is regulated by mitochondrial ATP production, and that miR-33 controls a network of genes that synchronize mitochondrial function. Inhibition of mitochondrial ATP synthase markedly reduces macrophage cholesterol efflux capacity, and anti-miR33 required fully functional mitochondria to enhance ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Specifically, anti-miR33 derepressed the novel target genes PGC-1α, PDK4, and SLC25A25 and boosted mitochondrial respiration and production of ATP. Treatment of atheroscleroticApoe(-/-) mice with anti-miR33oligonucleotides reduced aortic sinus lesion area compared with controls, despite no changes in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or other circulating lipids. Expression of miR-33a/b was markedly increased in human carotid atherosclerotic plaques compared with normal arteries, and there was a concomitant decrease in mitochondrial regulatory genes PGC-1α, SLC25A25, NRF1, and TFAM, suggesting these genes are associated with advanced atherosclerosis in humans. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that anti-miR33 therapy derepresses genes that enhance mitochondrial respiration and ATP production, which in conjunction with increased ABCA1 expression, works to promote macrophage cholesterol efflux and reduce atherosclerosis.
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