Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0004153 (atherosclerosis)
 77,401 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

HIV lipodystrophy is a heterogeneous syndrome, which has yet to be objectively defined, comprising peripheral lipoatrophy, central fat accumulation and lipomata, along with hyperlipidaemia, insulin resistance and lactic acidaemia. Both nucleoside analogues and protease inhibitors are involved, but there are also host factors that probably place some patients at greater risk. The pathogenesis is increasingly understood, with evidence of interference of several regulatory proteins such as sterol regulatory enhancer binding protein-1, the proteasome, mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma and GLUT-4. Along with the issues of cosmesis and stigmatization, a principal clinical concern that arises with lipodystrophy is a possible increased risk of accelerated atherosclerosis. A variety of therapeutic interventions, designed to limit these risks, are under evaluation, but none is conclusively shown to be of value.
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PMID:HIV lipodystrophy: risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnosis and management. 1287 May 40

The mechanisms involved in the anti-angiogenic actions of the proteasome inhibitors are poorly understood. Here, we report that the gene expression of the VEGF receptor Flt-1 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1) was down-regulated by the reversible proteasome inhibitor MG262 in explant cultures of the developing chicken pecten oculi, a vascular organ consisting of endothelial cells, pericytes, and macrophages. In addition, the inhibitor prevented the induction of Flt-1 by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in macrophages and down-regulated the expression of Flt-1 after LPS induction. Flt-1 gene expression was also down regulated by MG262 in cultures of human microvascular endothelial cells. Interestingly, a transcript of Flt-1, coding for a soluble form of the receptor (sFlt-1) with anti-angiogenic properties, was not down-regulated in the same extent. Only a small decrease in the expression of VEGF and Ang-2 was detected in the pecten oculi upon inhibition of the proteasome, while no major changes were observed in the expression of other angiogenic molecules, such as KDR or Ang-1. Since recent experiments have demonstrated the importance of anti-Flt-1 therapy in the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis, retinal angiogenesis, arthritis, and atherosclerosis (Luttun et al. [2002]: Nat Med 8:831-840), our observation on down-regulation of Flt-1 in microvascular endothelial cells and macrophages by MG262 supports the postulated role of the proteasome inhibitors as potential candidates for therapeutic modulation of angiogenesis and inflammation.
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PMID:Down-regulation of Flt-1 gene expression by the proteasome inhibitor MG262. 1289 12

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent phospholipid mediator involved in various disease states such as allergic asthma, atherosclerosis and psoriasis. The human PAF receptor (PAFR) is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor family. Following PAF stimulation, cells become rapidly desensitized; this refractory state can be maintained for hours and is dependent on PAFR phosphorylation, internalization, and down-regulation. In this report, we characterized ligand-induced, long term PAFR desensitization, and pathways leading to its degradation. Some GPCRs are known to be targeted to proteasomes for degradation while others traffic via the early/late endosomes toward lysosomes. Specific inhibitors of lysosomal proteases and inhibitors of the proteasome were effective in reducing the ligand-induced PAFR down-regulation by 40 and 25%, respectively, indicating the importance of receptor targeting to both lysosomes and proteasomes in long term cell desensitization to PAF. The effects of the proteasome and lysosomal protease inhibitors were additive and, together, completely blocked ligand-induced degradation of PAFR. Using dominant-negative Rab5 and 7 and colocalization of the PAFR with the early endosome autoantigen I (EEAI) or transferrin, we confirmed that ligand-induced PAFR down-regulation was Rab5/7-dependent and involved lysosomal degradation. In addition, we also demonstrated that PAFR was ubiquitinated in an agonist-independent manner. However, a dominant negative ubiquitin ligase (NCbl) reduced PAFR ubiquitination and inhibited ligand-induced but not basal receptor degradation. Our results indicate that PAFR degradation can occur via both the proteasome and lysosomal pathways and ligand-stimulated degradation is ubiquitin-dependent.
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PMID:Trafficking, ubiquitination, and down-regulation of the human platelet-activating factor receptor. 1450 Jul 26

During recent years, the ubiquitin-proteasome system has become known as the major pathway of non-lysosomal degradation of intracellular proteins, involving two sequential steps. In the first step, multiple moieties of ubiquitin are covalently bound to target proteins to be recognized and degraded by the multi-enzymatic proteasome complex in the second step. In addition to the elimination of damaged and unneeded proteins, this system fulfills an important function in the regulation of cellular mediators in various biological pathways. Foremost, these biological pathways include inflammation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis, all of which constitute important characteristics of atherosclerosis. Indeed, recent experimental evidence supports a potential involvement of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in the initiation, progression, and complication stage of atherogenesis. This review summarizes recent findings regarding the ubiquitin-proteasome system in cardiovascular diseases and discusses the potential use of proteasome inhibitors in cardiovascular therapy.
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PMID:The ubiquitin-proteasome system in cardiovascular diseases-a hypothesis extended. 1473 97

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation is suppressed in intact blood vessels but stimulated in atherosclerosis, restenosis after angioplasty, and vein graft disease. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, including p27(Kip1), play important roles in maintaining SMC quiescence. Levels of p27(Kip1) are dependent on attachment to and the composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Here we sought to elucidate mechanisms underlying the ECM-dependent regulation of p27(Kip1) and hence, SMC proliferation. Serum stimulation decreased p27(Kip1) levels in isolated SMC but not in rat aorta. The effect was post-translational and mediated by proteasomal degradation. We studied the S-phase-associated kinase protein-2 (Skp-2), an F-box protein involved in ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation. Skp-2 protein is strongly induced by serum from undetectable levels in isolated SMCs but remains undetectable in aorta; Skp-2 mRNA is also lower in aorta. Overexpression of wild-type Skp-2 in SMCs decreased p27(Kip1) levels, whereas dominant negative F-box deleted mutant (DeltaF-Skp-2) Skp-2 increased p27(Kip1) levels. Furthermore, hyperphosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein and SMC proliferation were also reciprocally affected by wild-type and dominant negative Skp-2. Skp-2 expression was absolutely dependent on cell attachment to the ECM and was inhibited by laminin and type-1 fibrillar collagen but increased by fibronectin. Expression of Skp-2 protein, but not mRNA, was associated with focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity and inhibited by overexpression of FAK-related non-kinase and a dominant negative FAK(Y397F) mutant. Furthermore, the inhibition of Skp-2 expression by dominant negative FAK was reversed by the proteasome inhibitor MG-132. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the vascular ECM controls SMC proliferation via FAK-dependent regulation of Skp-2 protein stability.
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PMID:Focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-dependent regulation of S-phase kinase-associated protein-2 (Skp-2) stability. A novel mechanism regulating smooth muscle cell proliferation. 1520 31

Hypercholesterolemia (HC) and atherosclerosis often accompany and aggravate renal disease. Proteasome inhibitors (PSI) can decrease proliferation and inflammation, likely by reducing activation of the proinflammatory NF-kappaB. However, chronic proteasome inhibition has never been demonstrated in the HC kidney. Four groups of pigs (n = 7 each) were studied after a 12-wk normal (N) or 2% HC diet alone or supplemented (N+PSI and HC+PSI) with MLN-273 (0.08 mg/kg subcutaneously twice weekly). Renal hemodynamics and function were quantified in vivo using electron-beam computed tomography at baseline and after vasodilator challenge using acetylcholine. Renal tissue was studied ex vivo using immunoblotting, PCR, and immunohistochemistry. Serum cholesterol was similarly elevated in HC and HC+PSI. Basal renal blood flow was similar among the groups, whereas GFR was decreased in both N+PSI and HC+PSI. The blunted renovascular and functional responses to acetylcholine in HC were normalized in HC+PSI (suggesting renal endothelial function improvement), which was accompanied by decreased renal endothelin, NF-kappaB, and augmented endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression. In parallel, HC+PSI animals also showed elevated NAD(P)H oxidase expression and circulating oxidized LDL, suggesting a potential for increased oxidative stress. This study shows that chronic PSI intervention in HC improves renal endothelial functional responses to challenge, possibly by modulating nitric oxide availability and endothelin. Furthermore, PSI may decrease intrarenal inflammation through modulation of the NF-kappaB pathway but may potentially increase oxidative stress, which warrants further investigation. This study may support a role for the ubiquitin/proteasome system in the kidney in HC and early atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Effects of proteasome inhibition on the kidney in experimental hypercholesterolemia. 1571 31

Therapies with antiretroviral protease inhibitors (ARPI) are correlated with a higher risk for dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, and atherosclerosis. The original aim of this study was to establish whether alpha-tocopherol can reduce CD36 scavenger receptor overexpression occurring after treatment of monocytes with the ARPI ritonavir. We show here that treatment of THP-1 monocytes with ritonavir increases total protein and surface expression of CD36; however, only weak changes are observed at the mRNA level, suggesting that CD36 overexpression occurs mainly at the posttranscriptional level. Concentrations of ritonavir that upregulate CD36 expression inhibit proteasome activity in THP-1 cells, indicating a possible regulatory role of the proteasome in CD36 overexpression. Similar to ritonavir, the proteasome inhibitor ALLN increases the CD36 surface expression on THP-1 cells. alpha-Tocopherol efficiently normalizes CD36 protein overexpression after ritonavir treatment and reduces oxLDL uptake. Furthermore, in THP-1 monocytes, alpha-tocopherol reverses the proteasome activity inhibited by ritonavir. This study indicates that an increased CD36 protein expression in THP-1 monocytes induced by ritonavir can be normalized by alpha-tocopherol. CD36 overexpression is caused by inhibition of proteasome activity by ritonavir, which is efficiently restored by alpha-tocopherol.
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PMID:CD36 overexpression in ritonavir-treated THP-1 cells is reversed by alpha-tocopherol. 1578 Jul 63

Prolonged treatments with inhibitors of human immunodeficiency(HIV)-encoded protease (ARPI) have been reported to induce early atherosclerotic events. Our in vitro study indicates that alpha-tocopherol may prevent drug-induced premature atherosclerosis since it interferes with CD36 scavenger receptor over-expression induced by ritonavir in monocytes. The mechanism of CD36 upregulation by ritonavir involves inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and alpha-tocopherol is able to normalize proteasome activity. These findings suggest that ARPI combined with early alpha-tocopherol supplementation may decrease the drug-induced atherosclerotic risk.
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PMID:HIV protease inhibitors-induced atherosclerosis: prevention by alpha-tocopherol. 1581 62

Dioxins are a class of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons that induce a wide spectrum of toxic responses in experimental animals. In this study, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorobenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) was exposed to two SD rat groups; one group for short-term exposure at a single dose of 1, 10, 20 and 50 mug/kg body weight (group 1) and the other for long-term exposure at daily and-low dose of 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 2.5 microg/kg body weight (group 2) for a month. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) was utilized to resolve the protein profile of rat liver exposed to TCDD at different doses. In the analysis of 2-DE of the group 1, two new-expressed spots and seven volume-increased spots were detected and identified by ESI-Q-TOF MS/MS; especially, proteasome subunit beta type 3 was increased in all doses. In addition, in the group 2, six volume-increased spots were screened; particularly, histidine triad nucleotide binding protein was increased in both 0.1 microg/kg dose and 1 microg/kg dose. The identified proteins were confirmed using Western blot. Among the identified proteins, apolipoprotein A-IV may protect lipid peroxidation and atherosclerosis induced by TCDD exposure and the expression level of phosphoglycerate mutase increases due to hyperthyroidism induced by TCDD exposure.
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PMID:Proteomic characterization of rat liver exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorobenzo-p-dioxin. 1582 8

Proteasomes, multisubunit complexes that consist of a 20S proteasome and a 19S regulatory complex, are essential for several cellular processes. Our interest in the proteasome complex stems from our observations that a novel photoactivable lipopolysaccharide (LPS) probe binds to specific proteasome subunits, and that LPS enhances the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome to degrade synthetic peptides in vitro. Experiments with proteasome inhibitors have shown that expression of many LPS-inducible genes, including TLR2, is inhibited in macrophages. More important, proteasome inhibitors such as lactacystin can prevent LPS-induced shock in mice. This article focuses on the role of the proteasome in the development of inflammatory processes, which may result in septic shock, hemorrhagic shock, atherosclerosis, and neurodegenerative disorders. Taken collectively, the results suggest a potentially important role of the proteasome in inflammation and other macrophage functions.
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PMID:The proteasome: a central regulator of inflammation and macrophage function. 1588 15


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