ABSTRACT
Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. However, the underlying mechanism of endothelial cell injury in hyperhomocysteinemia has not been elucidated. In this study, we examined the effect of homocysteine (Hcy) on Fas-mediated apoptosis in endothelial cells. Hcy-induced upregulation of Fas in endothelial cells (ECs) in a dose-dependent manner. At the same time, Hcy increased intracellular peroxide in ECs. Hcy-induced Fas expression was inhibited by the treatment with catalase. Hcy increased NF-kappaB DNA binding activity, and adenovirus-mediated transfection of a Ikappa-B mutant (Ikappa-B mt) gene inhibited Hcy-induced Fas expression. ECs were sensitive to Fas-mediated apoptosis when exposed to Hcy. Under these condition, Ikappa-B mt protected ECs from Fas-mediated apoptosis. In addition, Hcy inhibited expression of the caspase-8 inhibitor FLICE-inhibitory protein (FLIP). Adenovirus-mediated transfection of constitutively active Akt gene abolished the Hcy-mediated downregulation of FLIP. These data suggest that upregulation of Fas expression and downregulation of FLIP is a mechanism through which Hcy induces EC apoptosis.
Subject(s)
Apoptosis/drug effects , Endothelium, Vascular/drug effects , Homocysteine/toxicity , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins , fas Receptor/physiology , Animals , Arteriosclerosis/etiology , CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein , Carrier Proteins/physiology , Endothelial Cells/cytology , Endothelial Cells/drug effects , Endothelial Cells/metabolism , Endothelium, Vascular/cytology , Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Humans , I-kappa B Proteins/genetics , I-kappa B Proteins/physiology , Mice , NF-kappa B/physiology , Oxidative Stress , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/physiology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/physiology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/physiology , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Signal Transduction/physiology , Umbilical Veins/cytology , Up-Regulation/drug effects , fas Receptor/biosynthesis , fas Receptor/geneticsABSTRACT
Dietary supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) improves the prognosis of chronic inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis. The mechanism underlying these beneficial effects, however, remains to be elucidated. Here we show that EPA protects endothelial cells from anoikis through upregulation of the cellular FLICE (Fas-associating protein with death domain-like interleukin-1-converting enzyme)-inhibitory protein (cFLIP), an endogenous inhibitor of caspase-8. EPA-induced upregulation of cFLIP expression was partially suppressed by the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin. Conversely, treatment with insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1), an activator of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt signaling, or infection with an adenoviral construct expressing the constitutively active Akt gene induced upregulation of cFLIP expression. In addition, pretreatment of endothelial cells with either EPA or IGF-1 protected them from anoikis, suggesting that EPA-induced protection against anoikis is partially mediated through activation of Akt. On the other hand, when endothelial cells were already detached, treatment of these cells with EPA but not with IGF-1 protected them against anoikis. Importantly, EPA restored cFLIP expression without activating Akt signaling in detached endothelial cells, whereas IGF-1 had no effect. Additionally, exogenously restored expression of cFLIP by the tetracycline-regulated adenovirus system protected endothelial cells against anoikis. Furthermore, EPA was protective against the loss of endothelium in an organ culture of rat aortas. These findings suggest that EPA protects against endothelial cell anoikis through restoration of cFLIP expression, which might contribute to the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of EPA in patients with hypertension.
