Fibroblast growth factor 21 regulates foam cells formation and inflammatory response in Ox-LDL-induced THP-1 macrophages

Abstract Macrophages are paramount to the initiation and procession of atherosclerosis, thus targeting macrophages in the progress of atherosclerosis is indispensable. Therefore, we perform in vitro experiments to investigate the effects of FGF-21 on macrophages in the progress of atherosclerosis. First, we use phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), a phorbol ester, to induce THP-1 cells into macrophages as macrophages model. After that we use Ox-LDL to induce macrophages into foam cells and simultaneously administrate with FGF-21 or not to determine whether FGF-21 has effects on foam cells formation and related inflammatory response. Wound healing results show that FGF-21 can inhibit macrophage migration. Oil Red-O stain, immunofluorescence and flow cytometer results show that FGF-21 can repress cholesterol accumulation in macrophages thereby inhibit foam cells formation and these effects can be abolished by FGFR inhibitor. Moreover, real-time PCR results showed that FGF-21 significantly reduces expression of inflammatory factors including IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α and this effect can be abolished by FGFR inhibitor. Furthermore, to determine the mechanism of FGF-21 regulates inflammatory response in Ox-LDL-induced THP-1 macrophages, western blotting results show that after treatment of Ox-LDL in macrophages, NF-κB signaling pathway is activated but FGF-21 can significantly inhibit this pathway. In addition, FGF-21 also regulates some regulators of lipid metabolism after treatment of Ox-LDL in macrophages. Above all, our findings demonstrate that FGF-21 can regulate foam cells formation, macrophage migration, inflammatory response and lipid metabolism in Ox-LDL-induced THP-1 macrophages.