Increased low density lipoprotein degradation in aorta of irradiated mice is inhibited by preenrichment of low density lipoprotein with α-tocopherol

Abstract

We previously reported that upper thoracic exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) accelerates fatty streak formation in C57BL/6 mice and that such effects are inhibited by overexpression of the antioxidant enzyme CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD). Notably, IR-accelerated lesion formation is strictly dependent on a high fat diet (i.e., atherogenic lipoproteins) but does not involve alterations in circulating lipid or lipoprotein levels. We thus proposed that IR promotes changes in the artery wall that enhance the deposition of lipoprotein lipids. To address this hypothesis, we examined the effects of IR on aortic accumulation and degradation of low density lipoproteins (LDL). Ten-week-old C57BL/6 mice were exposed to a single (8-Gy) dose of 60 Co radiation to the upper thoracic area or were sham irradiated (controls) and were then placed on the high fat diet. Five days postexposure, the mice received either 125 I-labeled LDL ( 125 I-LDL) (which was used to measure intact LDL) or 125 Ilabeled tyramine cellobiose ( 125 I-TC)-LDL (which was used to measure both intact and cell-degraded LDL) via tail vein injection. On the basis of trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-precipitable counts in retroorbital blood samples, у 95% of donor LDL was cleared within 24 h and there were no differences in time-averaged plasma concentrations of the two forms of LDL among irradiated and control mice. Aortic values increased markedly within the first hour and thereafter exhibited a slow increase up to 24 h. There were no differences between irradiated and control mice at 1 h, when values primarily reflected LDL entry, but a divergence was observed thereafter. At 24 h, 125 I-TC-associated counts were 1.8-fold higher in irradiated mice ( P ϭ 0.10). In contrast, 125 I-LDLassociated counts were 30% lower in irradiated mice ( P Ͻ 0.05), suggesting that most of the retained 125 I-TC was associated with LDL degradation products. Consistent with the proposed involvement of oxidative or redox-regulated events, IR-induced LDL degradation was lower in SODtransgenic than wild-type mice ( P Ͻ 0.05). The importance of LDL oxidation was suggested by observations that IRinduced LDL degradation was significantly reduced by preenriching LDL with ␣ -tocopherol. On the basis of these results, we propose that IR elicits SOD-inhibitable changes in the artery wall that enhance LDL oxidation and degradation leading to the deposition of LDL-borne lipids. These studies provide additional support for the role of oxidation in lipoprotein lipid deposition and atherogenesis and sug-gest that IR promotes an arterial environment that stimulates this process in vivo.

SAMD1 Distribution Patterns in Mouse Atherosclerosis Models Suggest Roles in LDL Retention, Antigen Presentation, and Cell Phenotype Modulation

“…LDLR-/-mice and apoE-/-mice were put on a modified western diet for 12 weeks to induce spontaneous aortic lesions. Five days pre-procedure, mice were injected with 125I-TClabelled human LDL as described [64]. The right carotids were injured one week prior to inhibitor treatment and sacrificed 24 hours after the second dose; treatment consisted of two doses of 10mg/kg peg-Fab1621 over a three-day period.…”