TREM2 promotes cholesterol uptake and foam cell formation in atherosclerosis.

ABSTRACT: Disordered lipid accumulation in the arterial wall is a hallmark of atherosclerosis. Previous studies found that the expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), a transmembrane receptor of the immunoglobulin family, is increased in mouse atherosclerotic aortic plaques. However, it remains unknown whether TREM2 plays a role in atherosclerosis. Here we investigated the role of TREM2 in atherosclerosis using ApoE knockout (ApoE^-/-) mouse models, primary vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). In ApoE^-/- mice, the density of TREM2-positive foam cells in aortic plaques increased in a time-dependent manner after the mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Compared with ApoE^-/- mice, the Trem2

SUBMITTER: Guo X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11071710 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature