HDAC9 regulates ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell apoptosis by participating in inflammatory reactions.

Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of cardiovascular diseases worldwide. The endothelial cell apoptosis elicited by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), which contributes to endothelial damage and inflammation, is a particularly important event in the early stage of atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism underlying ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell apoptosis remains unclear. Here we found that HDAC9 expression was increased at both the mRNA and protein levels accompanied by dose-dependent ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell apoptosis. Depletion of HDAC9 by its specific shRNA significantly antagonized ox-LDL-induced cell apoptosis and suppressed the expression of ox-LDL-induced inflammatory factors, such as TNF-alpha and MCP1. These data suggest that HDAC9 is an important epigenetic factor regulating ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell apoptosis and inflammatory factor expression. These results suggest that HDAC9 may participate in ox-LDL-induced endothelial damage and inflammation during atherosclerosis development.