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Inhibitory effects of N ‐acetylcysteine on scavenger receptor class A expression in human macrophages
Author(s) -
SVENSSON L.,
NORÉN K.,
WIKLUND O.,
LINDMARK H.,
OHLSSON B.,
HULTÉN L. Mattsson
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2796.2002.00983.x
Subject(s) - scavenger receptor , acetylcysteine , monocyte , incubation , receptor , lipoprotein , microbiology and biotechnology , antioxidant , gene expression , macrophage , foam cell , in vitro , endocrinology , pharmacology , medicine , chemistry , biochemistry , biology , cholesterol , gene
. Svensson L, Norén K, Wiklund O, Lindmark H, Ohlsson B, Mattsson Hultén L (Wallenberg Laboratory for Cardiovascular Research, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg; and AstraZeneca, Mölndal, Sweden). Inhibitory effects of N ‐acetylcysteine on scavenger receptor class A expression in human macrophages. J Intern Med 2002; 251: . Objective. The formation of foam cells from monocyte‐derived macrophages involves the uptake of modified lipoproteins by scavenger receptors. Antioxidants inhibit lipoprotein oxidation and may also modulate gene expression. We investigated the effect of the antioxidant N ‐acetylcysteine on the expression of the class A scavenger receptor (SR‐A) types I and II in human macrophages. Design. Monocytes and macrophages from healthy blood donors and plaque‐derived macrophages from patients undergoing carotid endartherectomy were used for experiments. SR‐A mRNA was analysed with quantitative and semiquantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction, and ligand binding and uptake were assessed with 125 I‐labelled acetylated low‐density lipoprotein (LDL). Results. Incubation of monocytes and monocyte‐derived macrophages with N ‐acetylcysteine decreased both SR‐A I and II mRNA expression. N ‐Acetylcysteine also reduced SR‐A mRNA in lesion‐derived cells. Binding and uptake of 125 I‐acetylated LDL was decreased after brief incubation with N ‐acetylcysteine. After longer periods of incubation with N ‐acetylcysteine we observed an increased degradation of lipoproteins. Conclusions. Our results imply that N ‐acetylcysteine leads to a decrease in SR‐A mRNA and initially also to an attenuated uptake of modified lipoproteins. This adds more to the knowledge about the cellular actions of this drug.