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Inflammatory Ly-6C(hi) monocytes play an important role in the development of severe transplant arteriosclerosis in hyperlipidemic recipients

Schiopu, Alexandru LU ; Nadig, Satish N. ; Cotoi, Ovidiu S. ; Hester, Joanna ; van Rooijen, Nico and Wood, Kathryn J. (2012) In Atherosclerosis 223(2). p.291-298
Abstract
Objective: Transplant arteriosclerosis (TA) restricts long-term survival of heart transplant recipients. Although the role of monocyte/macrophages is well established in native atherosclerosis, it has been studied to a much lesser extent in TA. Plasma cholesterol is the most important non-immunologic risk factor for development of TA but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We hypothesized that monocyte/macrophages might play an important role in the pathogenesis of TA under hyperlipidemic conditions. Methods: We studied TA in fully mismatched arterial allografts transplanted into hyperlipidemic ApoE(-/-) recipients compared to wild-type controls. The recruitment of distinct monocyte populations into the grafts was tracked by in... (More)
Objective: Transplant arteriosclerosis (TA) restricts long-term survival of heart transplant recipients. Although the role of monocyte/macrophages is well established in native atherosclerosis, it has been studied to a much lesser extent in TA. Plasma cholesterol is the most important non-immunologic risk factor for development of TA but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We hypothesized that monocyte/macrophages might play an important role in the pathogenesis of TA under hyperlipidemic conditions. Methods: We studied TA in fully mismatched arterial allografts transplanted into hyperlipidemic ApoE(-/-) recipients compared to wild-type controls. The recruitment of distinct monocyte populations into the grafts was tracked by in vivo labelling with fluorescent microspheres. We used antibody-mediated depletion protocols to dissect the relative contribution of T lymphocytes and monocytes to disease development. Results: In the hyperlipidemic environment the progression of TA was highly exacerbated and the inflammatory CD11b(+)CD115(+)Ly-6C(hi) monocytes were preferentially recruited into the neointima. The number of macrophage-derived foam cells present in the grafts strongly correlated with plasma cholesterol and disease severity. Depletion of Ly-6C(hi) monocytes and neutrophils significantly inhibited macrophage accumulation and disease progression. The accelerated monocyte recruitment occurs through a T cell-independent mechanism, as T cell depletion did not influence macrophage accumulation into the grafts. Conclusions: Our study identifies for the first time the involvement of inflammatory Ly-6C(hi) monocytes into the pathogenesis of TA, particularly in conditions of hyperlipidemia. Targeted therapies modulating the recruitment and activation of these cells could potentially delay coronary allograft vasculopathy and improve long-term survival of heart transplant recipients. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Transplant vasculopathy, Hypercholesterolemia, Inflammation, Monocytes, Macrophages
in
Atherosclerosis
volume
223
issue
2
pages
291 - 298
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000307239800008
  • scopus:84864766748
  • pmid:22704806
ISSN
1879-1484
DOI
10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.05.010
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
23f5c0cd-4ebd-4378-812f-26be2724d6cc (old id 3577338)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:40:27
date last changed
2022-01-26 01:24:34
@article{23f5c0cd-4ebd-4378-812f-26be2724d6cc,
  abstract     = {{Objective: Transplant arteriosclerosis (TA) restricts long-term survival of heart transplant recipients. Although the role of monocyte/macrophages is well established in native atherosclerosis, it has been studied to a much lesser extent in TA. Plasma cholesterol is the most important non-immunologic risk factor for development of TA but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We hypothesized that monocyte/macrophages might play an important role in the pathogenesis of TA under hyperlipidemic conditions. Methods: We studied TA in fully mismatched arterial allografts transplanted into hyperlipidemic ApoE(-/-) recipients compared to wild-type controls. The recruitment of distinct monocyte populations into the grafts was tracked by in vivo labelling with fluorescent microspheres. We used antibody-mediated depletion protocols to dissect the relative contribution of T lymphocytes and monocytes to disease development. Results: In the hyperlipidemic environment the progression of TA was highly exacerbated and the inflammatory CD11b(+)CD115(+)Ly-6C(hi) monocytes were preferentially recruited into the neointima. The number of macrophage-derived foam cells present in the grafts strongly correlated with plasma cholesterol and disease severity. Depletion of Ly-6C(hi) monocytes and neutrophils significantly inhibited macrophage accumulation and disease progression. The accelerated monocyte recruitment occurs through a T cell-independent mechanism, as T cell depletion did not influence macrophage accumulation into the grafts. Conclusions: Our study identifies for the first time the involvement of inflammatory Ly-6C(hi) monocytes into the pathogenesis of TA, particularly in conditions of hyperlipidemia. Targeted therapies modulating the recruitment and activation of these cells could potentially delay coronary allograft vasculopathy and improve long-term survival of heart transplant recipients. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Schiopu, Alexandru and Nadig, Satish N. and Cotoi, Ovidiu S. and Hester, Joanna and van Rooijen, Nico and Wood, Kathryn J.}},
  issn         = {{1879-1484}},
  keywords     = {{Transplant vasculopathy; Hypercholesterolemia; Inflammation; Monocytes; Macrophages}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{291--298}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Atherosclerosis}},
  title        = {{Inflammatory Ly-6C(hi) monocytes play an important role in the development of severe transplant arteriosclerosis in hyperlipidemic recipients}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.05.010}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.05.010}},
  volume       = {{223}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}