TY - JOUR
T1 - Vitamin D receptor signaling inhibits atherosclerosis in Mice
AU - Szeto, Frances L.
AU - Reardon, Catherine A.
AU - Yoon, Dosuk
AU - Wang, Youli
AU - Wong, Kari E.
AU - Chen, Yunzi
AU - Kong, Juan
AU - Liu, Shu Q.
AU - Thadhani, Ravi
AU - Getz, Godfrey S.
AU - Li, Yan Chun
PY - 2012/7
Y1 - 2012/7
N2 - Although vitamin D has been implicated in cardiovascular protection, few studies have addressed the role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in atherosclerosis. Here we investigate the effect of inacti-vation of the VDR signaling on atherogenesis and the antiatherosclerotic mechanism of vitamin D. Low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-/-/VDR-/- mice exhibited site-specific accelerated atherogenesis, accompanied by increases in adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines in the aorta and cholesterol influx in macrophages. Macrophages showed marked renin up-regulation in the absence of VDR, and inhibition of renin by aliskiren reduced atherosclerosis in LDLR-/-/ VDR-/- mice, suggesting that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) promotes atherosclerosis in the absence of VDR. LDLR-/- mice receiving LDLR-/-/VDR-/- BMT developed larger lesions than LDLR-/- BMT controls. Moreover, LDLR-/- mice receiving Rag-1 -/-/VDR-/- BMT, which were unable to generate functional T and B lymphocytes, still had more severe atherosclerosis than Rag-1 -/- BMT controls, suggesting a critical role of macrophage VDR signaling in atherosclerotic suppression. Aliskiren treatment eliminated the difference in lesions between Rag-1 -/-/VDR-/- BMT and Rag-1 -/- BMT recipients, indicating that local RAS activation in macrophages contributes to the enhanced atherogenesis seen in Rag-1 -/-/VDR-/- BMT mice. Taken together, these observations provide evidence that macrophage VDR signaling, in part by suppressing the local RAS, inhibits atherosclerosis in mice.
AB - Although vitamin D has been implicated in cardiovascular protection, few studies have addressed the role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in atherosclerosis. Here we investigate the effect of inacti-vation of the VDR signaling on atherogenesis and the antiatherosclerotic mechanism of vitamin D. Low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-/-/VDR-/- mice exhibited site-specific accelerated atherogenesis, accompanied by increases in adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines in the aorta and cholesterol influx in macrophages. Macrophages showed marked renin up-regulation in the absence of VDR, and inhibition of renin by aliskiren reduced atherosclerosis in LDLR-/-/ VDR-/- mice, suggesting that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) promotes atherosclerosis in the absence of VDR. LDLR-/- mice receiving LDLR-/-/VDR-/- BMT developed larger lesions than LDLR-/- BMT controls. Moreover, LDLR-/- mice receiving Rag-1 -/-/VDR-/- BMT, which were unable to generate functional T and B lymphocytes, still had more severe atherosclerosis than Rag-1 -/- BMT controls, suggesting a critical role of macrophage VDR signaling in atherosclerotic suppression. Aliskiren treatment eliminated the difference in lesions between Rag-1 -/-/VDR-/- BMT and Rag-1 -/- BMT recipients, indicating that local RAS activation in macrophages contributes to the enhanced atherogenesis seen in Rag-1 -/-/VDR-/- BMT mice. Taken together, these observations provide evidence that macrophage VDR signaling, in part by suppressing the local RAS, inhibits atherosclerosis in mice.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863318938&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84863318938&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1210/me.2011-1329
DO - 10.1210/me.2011-1329
M3 - Article
C2 - 22638071
AN - SCOPUS:84863318938
SN - 0888-8809
VL - 26
SP - 1091
EP - 1101
JO - Molecular Endocrinology
JF - Molecular Endocrinology
IS - 7
ER -