Allicin induces the upregulation of ABCA1 expression via PPARγ/LXRα signaling in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells

Lin,Xiao-Long; Hu,Hui-Jun; Liu,Yuan-Bo; Hu,Xue-Mei; Fan,Xiao-Juan; Zou,Wei-Wen; Pan,Yong-Quan; Zhou,Wen-Quan; Peng,Min-Wen; Gu,Cai-Hong

doi:10.3892/ijmm.2017.2949

Allicin induces the upregulation of ABCA1 expression via PPARγ/LXRα signaling in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells

Authors:
- Xiao-Long Lin
- Hui-Jun Hu
- Yuan-Bo Liu
- Xue-Mei Hu
- Xiao-Juan Fan
- Wei-Wen Zou
- Yong-Quan Pan
- Wen-Quan Zhou
- Min-Wen Peng
- Cai-Hong Gu
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Affiliations: Department of Pathology, Huizhou Third People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Huizhou, Guangdong 516002, P.R. China, Medical Department of Neurology, The Sixth People's Hospital of Huizhou (The People's Hospital of Huiyang), Huizhou, Guangdong 516211, P.R. China
Published online on: April 11, 2017 https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2017.2949
Pages: 1452-1460
Copyright: © Lin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Allicin is considered anti-atherosclerotic due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which makes it an important drug for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. However, the effects of allicin on foam cells are unclear. Thus, in this study, we examined the effects of allicin on lipid accumulation via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ)/liver X receptor α (LXRα) in THP‑1 macrophage-derived foam cells. THP‑1 cells were exposed to 100 nM phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) for 24 h, and then to oxydized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL; 50 mg/ml) to induce foam cell formation. The results of Oil Red O staining and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed showed that pre-treatment of the foam cells with allicin decreased total cholesterol, free cholesterol (FC) and cholesterol ester levels in cells, and also decreased lipid accumulation. Moreover, allicin upregulated ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) expression and promoted cholesterol efflux. However, these effects were significantly abolished by transfection with siRNA targeting ABCA1. Furthermore, PPARγ/LXRα signaling was activated by allicin treatment. The allicin-induced upregulation of ABCA1 expression was also abolished by PPARγ inhibitor (GW9662) and siRNA or LXRα siRNA co-treatment. Overall, our data demonstrate that the allicin-induced upregulation of ABCA1 promotes cholesterol efflux and reduces lipid accumulation via PPARγ/LXRα signaling in THP‑1 macrophage-derived foam cells.

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