Department of Medicine (Solna), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, PO Box 1046, 0317, Oslo, Norway.
Cell Mol Life Sci. 2024 Aug 6;81(1):331. doi: 10.1007/s00018-024-05372-3.
The rising incidences of atherosclerosis have necessitated efforts to identify novel targets for therapeutic interventions. In the present study, we observed increased expression of the mechanosensitive calcium channel Piezo1 transcript in mouse and human atherosclerotic plaques, correlating with infiltration of PIEZO1-expressing macrophages. In vitro administration of Yoda1, a specific agonist for PIEZO1, led to increased foam cell apoptosis and enhanced phagocytosis by macrophages. Mechanistically, PIEZO1 activation resulted in intracellular F-actin rearrangement, elevated mitochondrial ROS levels and induction of mitochondrial fragmentation upon PIEZO1 activation, as well as increased expression of anti-inflammatory genes. In vivo, ApoE mice treated with Yoda1 exhibited regression of atherosclerosis, enhanced stability of advanced lesions, reduced plaque size and necrotic core, increased collagen content, and reduced expression levels of inflammatory markers. Our findings propose PIEZO1 as a novel and potential therapeutic target in atherosclerosis.
动脉粥样硬化发病率的上升促使人们努力寻找新的治疗靶点。在本研究中,我们观察到机械敏感性钙通道 Piezo1 转录本在小鼠和人类动脉粥样硬化斑块中的表达增加,与表达 PIEZO1 的巨噬细胞浸润相关。体外给予 Piezo1 的特异性激动剂 Yoda1 可导致泡沫细胞凋亡增加,并增强巨噬细胞的吞噬作用。在机制上,Piezo1 的激活导致细胞内 F-肌动蛋白重排、线粒体 ROS 水平升高,并在 Piezo1 激活时诱导线粒体片段化,以及抗炎基因的表达增加。在体内,用 Yoda1 治疗 ApoE 小鼠可导致动脉粥样硬化消退,增强晚期病变的稳定性,减少斑块大小和坏死核心,增加胶原含量,并降低炎症标志物的表达水平。我们的研究结果表明,Piezo1 是动脉粥样硬化的一个新的潜在治疗靶点。