期刊名称:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN:0027-8424
电子版ISSN:1091-6490
出版年度:2005
卷号:102
期号:31
页码:11029-11034
DOI:10.1073/pnas.0502677102
语种:English
出版社:The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要:Resident macrophages (i.e., Kupffer cells) are derived from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and are primarily responsible for the removal from plasma of oxidized forms of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The therapeutic potential of Kupffer cell expression of a transgene encoding paraoxonase-1 (PON1), whose plasma activity correlates with the protection from atherosclerosis, was examined in mice rendered atherosclerosis-susceptible through genetic deletion of the LDL receptor. Mice having their bone marrow engrafted with HSCs expressing the PON1 transgene (PON1-Tg) driven by a macrophage-specific promoter were injected i.v. with saline (vehicle only) or with gadolinium chloride (GdCl3), an agent that rapidly causes Kupffer cell apoptosis. One month later, GdCl3-facilitated Kupffer cell apoptosis increased the hepatic expression of transgenic PON1 mRNA by 9-fold. After 12 weeks of being fed a cholesterol-enriched atherogenic diet, mice injected with GdCl3 exhibited 50% reductions in both aortic sinus atherosclerotic lesions (P < 0.0097) and surface lesions of the abdominal aorta (P < 0.006). In contrast, mice receiving HSCs expressing the PON1-Tg but not treated with GdCl3 showed no protection from atherosclerosis. In addition, mice engrafted with HSCs not expressing the PON1-Tg but injected with GdCl3 also showed no protection from atherosclerosis. These findings, showing that GdCl3-enhanced hepatic expression of the PON1-Tg is essential for reducing atherosclerosis, indicate that Kupffer cells play an important role in atherogenesis. GdCl3-facilated replacement of Kupffer cells may enhance the efficacy of other HSC-based gene therapies.