Loss of ABCG1 influences regulatory T cell differentiation and atherosclerosis

J Clin Invest. 2016 Sep 1;126(9):3236-46. doi: 10.1172/JCI83136. Epub 2016 Aug 2.

Abstract

ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) promotes cholesterol accumulation and alters T cell homeostasis, which may contribute to progression of atherosclerosis. Here, we investigated how the selective loss of ABCG1 in T cells impacts atherosclerosis in LDL receptor-deficient (LDLR-deficient) mice, a model of the disease. In LDLR-deficient mice fed a high-cholesterol diet, T cell-specific ABCG1 deficiency protected against atherosclerotic lesions. Furthermore, T cell-specific ABCG1 deficiency led to a 30% increase in Treg percentages in aorta and aorta-draining lymph nodes (LNs) of these mice compared with animals with only LDLR deficiency. When Abcg1 was selectively deleted in Tregs of LDLR-deficient mice, we observed a 30% increase in Treg percentages in aorta and aorta-draining LNs and reduced atherosclerosis. In the absence of ABCG1, intracellular cholesterol accumulation led to downregulation of the mTOR pathway, which increased the differentiation of naive CD4 T cells into Tregs. The increase in Tregs resulted in reduced T cell activation and increased IL-10 production by T cells. Last, we found that higher ABCG1 expression in Tregs was associated with a higher frequency of these cells in human blood samples. Our study indicates that ABCG1 regulates T cell differentiation into Tregs, highlighting a pathway by which cholesterol accumulation can influence T cell homeostasis in atherosclerosis.

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 1 / genetics
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 1 / metabolism*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Aorta / metabolism
  • Atherosclerosis / metabolism*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cholesterol / metabolism
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • L-Selectin / metabolism
  • Lipoproteins / blood
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Male
  • Membrane Microdomains
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Middle Aged
  • Phenotype
  • Receptors, LDL / genetics
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / cytology

Substances

  • ABCG1 protein, human
  • ABCG1 protein, mouse
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse
  • Lipoproteins
  • Receptors, LDL
  • L-Selectin
  • Interleukin-10
  • Cholesterol