The role of the ATP-binding cassette G1 (ABCG1) transporter in human pathophysiology is still largely unknown. Indeed, beyond its role in mediating free cholesterol efflux to HDL, the ABCG1 transporter equally promotes lipid accumulation in a triglyceride (TG)-rich environment through regulation of the bioavailability of lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Because both ABCG1 and LPL are expressed in adipose tissue, we hypothesized that ABCG1 is implicated in adipocyte TG storage and therefore could be a major actor in adipose tissue fat accumulation. Silencing of Abcg1 expression by RNA interference in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes compromised LPL-dependent TG accumulation during the initial phase of differentiation. Generation of stable Abcg1 knockdown 3T3-L1 adipocytes revealed that Abcg1 deficiency reduces TG storage and diminishes lipid droplet size through inhibition of Pparγ expression. Strikingly, local inhibition of adipocyte Abcg1 in adipose tissue from mice fed a high-fat diet led to a rapid decrease of adiposity and weight gain. Analysis of two frequent ABCG1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs1893590 [A/C] and rs1378577 [T/G]) in morbidly obese individuals indicated that elevated ABCG1 expression in adipose tissue was associated with increased PPARγ expression and adiposity concomitant to increased fat mass and BMI (haplotype AT>GC). The critical role of ABCG1 in obesity was further confirmed in independent populations of severe obese and diabetic obese individuals. This study identifies for the first time a major role of adipocyte ABCG1 in adiposity and fat mass growth and suggests that adipose ABCG1 might represent a potential therapeutic target in obesity.

SUMMARY To elucidate how the proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor alirocumab modulates lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] plasma levels, the authors performed a series of Lp(a) uptake studies in primary human hepatocytes and dermal fibroblasts and measured Lp(a) secretion from human hepatocytes. They found that Lp(a) cellular uptake occurred in a low-density lipoprotein receptor–independent manner. Neither PCSK9 nor alirocumab altered Lp(a) internalization. By contrast, the secretion of apolipoprotein (a) from human hepatocytes was sharply increased by PCSK9, an effect that was reversed by alirocumab. They propose that PCSK9 does not significantly modulate Lp(a) catabolism, but rather enhances the secretion of Lp(a) from liver cells.

ObjectiveEvidence points to a founder of the multifunctional CCN family, NOV/CCN3, as a circulating molecule involved in cardiac development, vascular homeostasis and inflammation. No data are available on the relationship between plasma NOV/CCN3 levels and cardiovascular risk factors in humans. This study investigated the possible relationship between plasma NOV levels and cardiovascular risk factors in humans.MethodsNOV levels were measured in the plasma from 594 adults with a hyperlipidemia history and/or with lipid-lowering therapy and/or a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2. Correlations were measured between NOV plasma levels and various parameters, including BMI, fat mass, and plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, and C-reactive protein. NOV expression was also evaluated in adipose tissue from obese patients and rodents and in primary cultures of adipocytes and macrophages.ResultsAfter full multivariate adjustment, we detected a strong positive correlation between plasma NOV and BMI (r = 0.36 p<0.0001) and fat mass (r = 0.33 p<0.0005). According to quintiles, this relationship appeared to be linear. NOV levels were also positively correlated with C-reactive protein but not with total cholesterol, LDL-C or blood glucose. In patients with drastic weight loss induced by Roux-en-Y bariatric surgery, circulating NOV levels decreased by 28% (p<0.02) and 48% (p<0.0001) after 3 and 6 months, respectively, following surgery. In adipose tissue from obese patients, and in human primary cultures NOV protein was detected in adipocytes and macrophages. In mice fed a high fat diet NOV plasma levels and its expression in adipose tissue were also significantly increased compared to controls fed a standard diet.ConclusionOur results strongly suggest that in obese humans and mice plasma NOV levels positively correlated with NOV expression in adipose tissue, and support a possible contribution of NOV to obesity-related inflammation.

Objective— The physiological function of the ATP–binding cassette G1 (ABCG1) transporter in humans is not yet elucidated, as no genetic disease caused by ABCG1 mutations has been documented. The goal of our study was, therefore, to investigate the potential role(s) of ABCG1 in lipid metabolism in humans. Methods and Results— Here we report that among the 104 polymorphisms present in the ABCG1 gene, the analysis of the frequent functional rs1893590 and rs1378577 single nucleotide polymorphisms located in the regulatory region of ABCG1 in the Regression Growth Evaluation Statin Study population revealed that both ABCG1 single nucleotide polymorphisms were significantly associated with plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. Moreover, we observed that plasma LPL activity was modestly reduced in Abcg1 −/− mice as compared with control mice. Adipose tissue and skeletal muscle are the major tissues accounting for levels and activity of plasma LPL in the body. However, beyond its lipolytic action in the plasma compartment, LPL was also described to act locally at the cellular level. Thus, macrophage LPL was reported to promote foam cell formation and atherosclerosis in vivo. Analysis of the relationship between ABCG1 and LPL in macrophages revealed that the knockdown of ABCG1 expression (ABCG1 knockdown) in primary cultures of human monocyte–derived macrophages using small interfering RNAs led to a marked reduction of both the secretion and activity of LPL. Indeed, LPL was trapped at the cell surface of ABCG1 knockdown human monocyte–derived macrophages, likely in cholesterol-rich domains, thereby reducing the bioavailability and activity of LPL. As a consequence, LPL–mediated lipid accumulation in human macrophage foam cells in the presence of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins was abolished when ABCG1 expression was repressed. Conclusion— We presently report that ABCG1 controls LPL activity and promotes lipid accumulation in human macrophages in the presence of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, thereby suggesting a potential deleterious role of macrophage ABCG1 in metabolic situations associated with high levels of circulating triglyceride-rich lipoproteins together with the presence of macrophages in the arterial wall.

Objective-We investigated the impact of several genetic variants located in genes encoding for proteins involved in biogenesis, maturation, and intravascular remodeling of high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles on plasma efflux capacity. Approach and Results-The capacity of whole-plasma to mediate cholesterol efflux from cholesterol-loaded human THP-1 macrophages was measured in 846 individuals (450 men and 396 women). We demonstrated that rs17231506 (CETP c.-1337 C>T), rs2230806 (ABCA1 p.R219K), rs1799837 (APOA1 c.-75 G>A), rs5086 (APOAII c.-265 T>C), and rs1800588 (LIPC c.-514 C>T) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly modulate the capacity of whole-plasma to mediate cholesterol efflux from human macrophages in a sex-dependent manner. Such associations were independent of circulating plasma lipid levels (HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol). In women, we identified the APOA1 c.-75 G>A and the LIPC c.-514 C>T variants as major contributors of interindividual variability of plasma efflux capacity, whereas the ABCA1 p.R219K and the APOAII c.-265 T>C SNPs mostly contribute to total variance of plasma efflux capacity in men. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the 7 SNPs tested accounted together for approximately 6% of total plasma efflux capacity. We demonstrated that genetically determined plasma efflux capacity represents a better predictor of macrophage cholesterol removal, as compared with plasma HDL-cholesterol levels. Key Words: cholesterol efflux ◼ high density lipoprotein ◼ macrophages ◼ single nucleotide polymorphisms Conclusions-Genetic

RationaleXanthomatosis associated with monoclonal gammopathy includes hyperlipidaemic xanthoma (HX), normolipidaemic xanthoma (NX) and necrobiotic xanthogranuloma (NXG). All three pathologies are characterized by skin or visceral lesions related to cholesterol accumulation, monoclonal immunoglobulin (MIg) and hypocomplementemia. The pathophysiology underlying NXG remains unknown although the involvement of MIg is suspected.ObjectiveTo provide further insights into the pathophysiology of NXG, we evaluated the plasma lipid phenotype, mechanisms involved in cellular cholesterol accumulation and role of MIg in an analysis of blood and plasma markers of inflammation in 16 patients with xanthomatosis [NXG (n = 8) and NX (n = 8)] associated with monoclonal IgG relative to the relevant controls.ResultsThe lipid profile of patients with NXG was characterized by a low HDL-C phenotype and an abnormal distribution of HDL particles. Sera from patients with NXG induced cholesterol accumulation in human macrophages. This accumulation was due in part to a significant reduction in the HDL capacity to promote cholesterol efflux from macrophages, which was not found in the case of NX. The MIg of NXG and NX patients was tested positively by ELISA to recognize a large spectrum of lipoproteins. High plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα and IL-6), soluble cytokine receptors (sIL-6R, sTNFRI and sTNFRII), adhesion molecules (VCAM-1 and ICAM-1) and chemokines (MCP-1, IL-8 and MIP-1α) were observed in both patients with NXG and NX, revealing a specific xanthoma inflammatory signature which was inversely correlated with plasma levels of anti-inflammatory HDL. However, patients with NXG were distinguished by elevated levels of IL-15 and a marked increase in the rate of intermediate CD14++CD16+ monocytes.ConclusionThis study revealed that NXG is characterized by impaired macrophage lipid homeostasis associated with a systemic inflammatory profile that may result from the interaction of MIg and lipoproteins.

Objective-We aim to identify the impact of endogenous cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity on plasma capacity to mediate free cholesterol efflux from human macrophages. Methods and Results-Endogenous plasma CETP activity was measured in a population of 348 women. We defined a low CETP group corresponding to subjects displaying an endogenous plasma CETP activity within the first tertile and a high CETP group corresponding to subjects with an endogenous plasma CETP activity within the third tertile. Subjects from the high CETP activity group displayed a significant increase in the capacity of their plasma (+8.2%; P=0.001) to mediate cholesterol efflux from human acute monocytic leukemia cell line human macrophages and from ATP-binding cassette transporter A1-dependent pathway (+23.4%; P=0.0001) as compared with those from the low CETP activity group. Multivariate analyses revealed that the impact of CETP activity was independent of plasma lipids levels. Pre-β1-high-density lipoprotein concentrations were significantly elevated (+29.6%; P=0.01) in the high CETP activity group as compared with the low CETP activity group. A positive correlation between pre-β1-high-density lipoprotein levels and plasma efflux efficiency from human acute monocytic leukemia cell line human macrophages was observed (r=0.29, P=0.02). Conclusion-CETP

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