Disordered immune responses and cholesterol metabolism have been
implicated in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of
blindness in elderly individuals. SULT2B1, the key enzyme of sterol
sulfonation, plays important roles in inflammation and cholesterol
metabolism. However, the role and underlying mechanism of SULT2B1 in AMD
have not been investigated thus far. Here, we report that SULT2B1 is
specifically expressed in macrophages in choroidal neovascularization
lesions.Sutl2b1deficiency significantly
reduced leakage areas and inhibited pathological angiogenesis by inhibiting
M2 macrophage activation in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, loss
ofSult2b1activated LXRs and subsequently
increased ABCA1 and ABCG1 (ABCA1/G1)-mediated cholesterol efflux from M2
macrophages. LXR inhibition (GSK2033 treatment)
inSult2b1−/−macrophages
reversed M2 polarization and decreased intracellular cholesterol capacity to
promote pathological angiogenesis. In contrast to SULT2B1, STS, an enzyme of
sterol desulfonation, protected against choroidal neovascularization
development by activating LXR–ABCA1/G1 signalling to block M2 polarization.
Collectively, these data reveal a cholesterol metabolism axis related to
macrophage polarization in neovascular AMD.