Reduction of the level of LXRβ mRNA and PPARγ mRNA in macrophages stimulated with a macrophage colony-stimulating factor in patients with atherosclerosis

Nuclear receptors LXRα/β and PPARγ play an important role in the regulation of lipid metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport. However, the effect of the expression of LXRα/β and PPARγ genes in macrophages on the development of atherosclerosis remains poorly studied. We determined the levels of LXRα mRNA, LXRβ mRNA, and PPARγ mRNA by a real-time polymerase chain reaction in macrophages cultivated for 5 days with macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). The levels of LXRβ mRNA and PPARγ mRNA were lower in patients with coronary artery stenosis than in the control group, p < 0.001. The groups did not differ in the content of LXRα mRNA (p = 0.17). We suggest that the level of expression of LXRβ and PPARγ genes in macrophages may be a significant factor associated with the development of atherosclerosis.