Abstract 288: Atheroprotective Effect of Probucol Is Related to Its Heme Oxygenase 1 Activation and Subsequent Suppression of Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein--Induced Dendritic Cell Maturation

Aims: Probucol, an agent characterized by lipid-lowering and anti-oxidant property, retards atherosclerosis effectively. Our study aimed to test the hypothesis that probucol might act its anti-athersclerotic role by suppressing maturation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (h-monDC). Furthermore, we also used a LDLR-/- mice model fed a high-fat diet to detect whether probucol also perform its anti-atherosclerotic effect on suppressing DCs maturation in vivo. Methods: H-monDCs were derived by incubating purified human monocytes with GM-CSF and IL-4. H-monDCs were pre-incubated with or without probucol and stimulated by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in the presence or absence of heme oxygenase (HO-1) siRNA. In vivo studies, streptozotocin (STZ) induced LDLR-/- mice were fed either a high-fat (HF) diet or added with 0.5% probucol for 4 months. Expression of h-monDC membrane molecules and mice splenic CD11c+DC membrane molecules were analyzed by FACS, cytokines were measured by ELISA and the STAT1/CIITA associated signaling pathway was determined by Western blotting. Mice aortic lesions were observed by En face staining and the expression of CD11c+DCs within atherosclerotic plaques were shown under confocal microscopy. Results: Ox-LDL promoted h-monDC maturation and TNF-a production; and up-regulated STAT1 701 phosphorylation by activating HO-1 in STAT1/CIITA signaling pathway. These effects were inhibited by probucol. Knocking down HO-1 with specific siRNA blocked these effects of probucol. In LDLR-/- mice fed a high-fat diet, probucol treatment significantly regressed aortic atherosclerotic lesions, suppressed splenic CD11c+DCs maturation and IL-12p70 production; and resulted in absence of CD11c+DCs within atherosclerotic lesions. Conclusions: Our study indicated that probucol effectively suppressed maturation of h-monDC induced by ox-LDL through HO-1 activation, and retarded atherosclerosis at least partly through inhibiting maturations of CD11c+DCs in LDLR-/- mice.