The expression of maxiK channel alpha--subunit during human macrophages differentiating into foam cells.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of MaxiK channel alpha-subunit during human monocyte-derived macrophages differentiating into foam cells.

METHODS

Human peripheral blood monocytes were isolated from male healthy volunteers by density gradient centrifugation, which, by culture, differentiated further into macrophages as a homogeneous monocyte population. The foam cell model originated from human macrophage was established by incubating macrophages with oxidized low density lipoprotein (OxLDL). The expression of MaxiK channel alpha-subunit was investigated by RT-PCR techniques, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS

After incubating macrophages with 30 mg/L OxLDL for 60 hours, the cellular contents of total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (FC) and cholesterol ester (CE) were markedly increased and the ratio of CE/TC was further raised from (14.437 +/- 6.781) % to (57.946 +/- 3.507) %. Although the expression of MaxiK channel alpha-subunit was downregulated during human monocyte-derived macrophages differentiating into foam cells, there was no significant difference between macrophages and foam cells (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

That 30 mg/L OxLDL can lead the monocyte-derived macrophage cultured for 60 hours to differentiate into foam cell, but the expression of MaxiK channel alpha-subunit does not change obviously.