Interleukin-6 protects human macrophages from cellular cholesterol accumulation and attenuates the proinflammatory response.

ABSTRACT: Cholesterol-laden monocyte-derived macrophages are phagocytic cells characteristic of early and advanced atherosclerotic lesions. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a macrophage secretory product that is abundantly expressed in atherosclerotic plaques but whose precise role in atherogenesis is unclear. The capacity of macrophages to clear apoptotic cells, through the efferocytosis mechanism, as well as to reduce cellular cholesterol accumulation contributes to prevent plaque progression and instability. By virtue of its capacity to promote cellular cholesterol efflux from phagocyte-macrophages, ABCA1 was reported to reduce atherosclerosis. We demonstrated that lipid loading in human macrophages was accompanied by a strong increase of IL-6 secretion. Interestingly, IL-6 markedly induced ABCA1 expressi

SUBMITTER: Frisdal E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3162452 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature