Systemic application of 3-methyladenine markedly inhibited atherosclerotic lesion in ApoE^-/- mice by modulating autophagy, foam cell formation and immune-negative molecules.

ABSTRACT: A growing body of evidence demonstrates that autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved intracellular degradation process, is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and has become a potential therapeutic target. Here we tested the effect of two inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-chromone (LY294002), commonly used as inhibitors of autophagy, in atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E^-/- mice. Systemic application of 3-MA but not LY294002 markedly reduced the size of atherosclerotic plaque and increased the stability of lesions in high-fat diet-fed mice as compared with controls. Furthermore, 3-MA had multiple atheroprotective effects, including modulating macrophage autophagy and foam cell formation and altering the

SUBMITTER: Dai S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5260998 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature