Pro-opiomelanocortin and its Processing Enzymes Associate with Plaque Stability in Human Atherosclerosis - Tampere Vascular Study.

ABSTRACT: α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is processed from pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and mediates anti-inflammatory actions in leukocytes. α-MSH also promotes macrophage reverse cholesterol transport by inducing ATP-binding cassette transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1. Here we investigated the regulation of POMC and α-MSH expression in atherosclerosis. First, transcript levels of POMC and its processing enzymes were analyzed in human arterial plaques (n = 68) and non-atherosclerotic controls (n = 24) as well as in whole blood samples from coronary artery disease patients (n = 55) and controls (n = 45) by microarray. POMC expression was increased in femoral plaques compared to control samples as well as in unstable advanced plaques. α-MSH-producing enzyme, carboxypeptidase E, was down-regulated,

SUBMITTER: Rinne P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6180013 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature