Cited by 412Fatty Acid Research and HealthAtherosclerosis and Cardiovascular DiseasesCholesterol and Lipid Metabolism

An imbalance between specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators and pro-inflammatory leukotrienes promotes instability of atherosclerotic plaques

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Fredman, Gabrielle, Hellmann, Jason, Proto, Jonathan D., Kuriakose, George, Colas, Romain A., Dorweiler, Bernhard, Connolly, E. Sander, Solomon, Robert +4 more·2016·Nature Communications

Abstract

Chronic unresolved inflammation plays a causal role in the development of advanced atherosclerosis, but the mechanisms that prevent resolution in atherosclerosis remain unclear. Here, we use targeted mass spectrometry to identify specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPM) in histologically-defined stable and vulnerable regions of human carotid atherosclerotic plaques. The levels of SPMs, particularly resolvin D1 (RvD1), and the ratio of SPMs to pro-inflammatory leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ), are significantly decreased in the vulnerable regions. SPMs are also decreased in advanced plaques of fat-fed Ldlr −/− mice. Administration of RvD1 to these mice during plaque progression restores the RvD1:LTB 4 ratio to that of less advanced lesions and promotes plaque stability, including decreased lesional oxidative stress and necrosis, improved lesional efferocytosis, and thicker fibrous caps. These findings provide molecular support for the concept that defective inflammation resolution contributes to the formation of clinically dangerous plaques and offer a mechanistic rationale for SPM therapy to promote plaque stability.

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  • In advanced atherosclerotic lesions, the ratio of specialized pro-resolving mediators to pro-inflammatory lipids, especially leukotrienes, is strikingly low, providing a molecular explanation for defective resolution.

    “In advanced atherosclerotic lesions, the ratio between specialized pro-resolving mediators and pro-inflammatory lipids (in particular leukotrienes) is strikingly low, providing a molecular explanation for the defective inflammation resolution features of these lesions.”
  • The ratio of 5-LOX-derived SPMs, notably RvD1, to pro-inflammatory leukotrienes is lower in advanced versus early atherosclerotic lesions in both humans and hypercholesterolaemic mice.

    “The ratio of 5-LOX-derived SPMs, notably RvD1, to pro-inflammatory leukotrienes is lower in advanced versus early atherosclerotic lesions in both humans and hypercholesterolaemic mice36.”
  • Intraperitoneal injections of RvD1 to Western-diet-fed Ldlr-knockout mice with mid-stage atherosclerotic lesions restore RvD1 levels, increase efferocytosis, reduce oxidative stress, and induce a more stable plaque phenotype, suppressing progression to advanced lesions.

    “intraperitoneal injections of RvD1 to Western-diet-fed Ldlr-knockout mice with mid-stage atherosclerotic lesions restore RvD1 levels in the lesions, increase efferocytosis, reduce oxidative stress in the lesions and induce a more stable plaque phenotype, thereby suppressing the progression of the mid-stage lesions to more advanced lesions36.”
  • SPMs and IL-10 promote efferocytosis.

    “Both SPMs and IL-10 promote efferocytosis36,93,181–185”
  • Treatment of Western-diet-fed Ldlr−/− mice with athero-targeted nanoparticles carrying an annexin A1-derived pro-resolving peptide Ac2-26 or with SPMs markedly suppressed formation of necrotic, thin-capped plaques.

    “As summarized in this Review, treatment of Western-diet-fed Ldlr−/− mice with athero-targeted nanoparticles packaged with a pro-resolving peptide derived from annexin A1 (Ac2–26) or with SPMs markedly suppressed the formation of necrotic, thin-capped plaques36,38,99,109,118.”

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Authors
Fredman, G., Hellmann, J., Proto, J. D., Kuriakose, G., Colas, R. A., Dorweiler, B., Connolly, E. S., Solomon, R., Jones, D. M., Heyer, E. J., Spite, M., & Tabas, I.
Affiliations
  • Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US)
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (DE)
  • Albany Medical College (US)
Corresponding author
  • Spite, Matthew
  • Tabas, Ira
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2016-09-23
Volume
7
Issue
1
Pages
12859-12859
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2523453502
Cited by
411
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 27 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 43 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 58 · 2021: 55 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 43 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1
FWCI
40.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Columbia Academic Commons (Columbia University)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (HL119587, GM095467, HL132412)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (F32HL116186, R01HL132412, R01HL127464, R00HL119587, K99HL119587, P01HL087123, R01HL075662, R01HL106173, T32HL007343)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (P01GM095467)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism
Keywords
specialized pro-resolving mediators, resolvin D1, leukotriene B4, atherosclerotic plaque instability, vulnerable plaque, inflammation resolution, carotid atherosclerosis, Ldlr-deficient mice, oxidative stress, efferocytosis, fibrous cap thickness, plaque necrosis

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