Research on mechanism of PCS in damaging vascular endothelial cells and promoting formation of atherosclerosis via TLR4/TREM-1

Z.-Y. Zhang, C.-F. Hu, M.-X. Wang, J. Lin, J.-M. Li, R.-Z. Wang

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Taizhou People’s Hospital, Taizhou, China. hcf2527@163.com

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• Pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to explore the effects of p-cresyl sulfate (PCS) of damaging vascular endothelial cells and promoting the formation of atherosclerosis in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-/- mice were fed normally and with a high-fat diet; the ApoE-/- mice fed with high-fat diet were divided into two groups and treated with blank control and PCS, respectively. The aortic arch in each group was taken and underwent the oil red O staining, and the serum PCS content in each group was detected. The basic components of plaque were observed, including foam cells, lipid deposition, and cholesterol crystal. Moreover, human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured and divided into control group, PCS treatment group (PCS), PCS treatment with TLR4 overexpression group (PCS+TLR4+), and PCS treatment with TLR4 knock-out group (PCS+TLR4-). The degree of endothelial cell damage was detected using a cluster of differentiation CD42b-/CD31+ endothelial microparticles (EMPs), and expressions of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1), phosphorylated-endothelial nitric oxide synthase (p-eNOS), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in cells were detected via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Western blotting.

RESULTS: The serum PCS concentration in high-fat ApoE-/- mice was increased, and the aortic arch sections of ApoE-/- mice treated with PCS displayed the evident atherosclerotic plaques. Experimental results of human umbilical vein endothelial cells showed that the activity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells treated with PCS declined, the expression levels of TLR4, TREM-1, and TNF-α were increased, while that of p-eNOS was decreased. After the TLR4 knockout, the above effects of PCS were reversed.

CONCLUSIONS: PCS damages vascular endothelial cells through TRL4/TREM-1, thereby accelerating the formation of atherosclerosis.

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