0000000000147971
AUTHOR
Katrin Dersch
Hypersusceptibility of neutrophil granulocytes towards lethal action of free fatty acids contained in enzyme-modified atherogenic low density lipoprotein.
Abstract Objective The bulk of LDL entrapped in the arterial intima is modified by hydrolytic enzymes, leading to extensive cleavage of cholesterylesters and liberation of fatty acids. The latter induce apoptosis in endothelial cells but are far less cytotoxic towards macrophages. We have compared the cytotoxic effects of enzymatically modified LDL (E-LDL) on macrophages and polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN). Methods and results E-LDL displayed toxicity towards PMN at far lower concentrations than towards monocyte-derived macrophages. Native or oxidized LDL had no effect. Free fatty acids contained in E-LDL were the cause of the observed toxicity, which could be mimicked by linoleic acid…
Pore-forming Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin triggers epidermal growth factor receptor-dependent proliferation.
Staphylococcal alpha-toxin is an archetypal killer protein that homo-oligomerizes in target cells to create small transmembrane pores. The membrane-perforating beta-barrel motif is a conserved attack element of cytolysins of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Following the recognition that nucleated cells can survive membrane permeabilization, a profile of abundant transcripts was obtained in transiently perforated keratinocytes. Several immediate early genes were found to be upregulated, reminiscent of the cellular response to growth factors. Cell cycle analyses revealed doubling of S + G2/M phase cells 26 h post toxin treatment. Determination of cell counts uncovered that after an …
Differential role of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase for cellular recovery from attack by pore-forming S. aureus alpha-toxin or streptolysin O.
Following the observation that cells are able to recover from membrane lesions incurred by Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin and streptolysin O (SLO), we investigated the role of p38 in this process. p38 phosphorylation occurred in response to attack by both toxins, commencing within minutes after toxin treatment and waning after several hours. While SLO reportedly activates p38 via ASK1 and ROS, we show that this pathway does not play a major role for p38 induction in alpha-toxin-treated cells. Strikingly divergent effects of p38 blockade were noted depending on the toxin employed. In the case of alpha-toxin, inhibition of p38 within the time frame of its activation led to disruption of th…
Fatty acids liberated from low-density lipoprotein trigger endothelial apoptosis via mitogen-activated protein kinases.
Enzymatic modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) as it probably occurs in the arterial intima drastically increases its cytotoxicity, which could be relevant for the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. LDL was treated with a protease and cholesterylesterase to generate a derivative similar to lesional LDL, with a high content of free cholesterol and fatty acids. Exposure of endothelial cells to the enzymatically modified lipoprotein (E-LDL), but not to native or oxidized LDL, resulted in programmed cell death. Apoptosis was triggered by apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 dependent phosphorylation of p38. Depletion and reconstitution experiments identified free fatty acids (FFA)…
Enzymatically hydrolyzed low-density lipoprotein modulates inflammatory responses in endothelial cells
SummaryThere is evidence that low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is modified by hydrolytic enzymes,and that the product (E-LDL) induces selective production of interleukin 8 (IL-8) in endothelial cells. Since nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) is a major regulator of IL-8 transcription, we studied its activation in endothelial cells treated with E-LDL. Unexpectedly,the modified lipoprotein not only failed to activate NF-κB, but completely blocked its activation by tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in EA.hy926-cells, as assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays and immunofluorescence. Inhibition occurred upstream of NF-κB translocation, as inhibitor of NF-κB- (IκB)-phosphorylation was suppr…