Genome-scale metabolic network of human carotid plaque reveals the pivotal role of glutamine/glutamate metabolism in macrophage modulating plaque inflammation and vulnerabilityShow others and affiliations
2024 (English)In: Cardiovascular Diabetology, E-ISSN 1475-2840, Vol. 23, no 1, article id 240
Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Background: Metabolism is increasingly recognized as a key regulator of the function and phenotype of the primary cellular constituents of the atherosclerotic vascular wall, including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and inflammatory cells. However, a comprehensive analysis of metabolic changes associated with the transition of plaque from a stable to a hemorrhaged phenotype is lacking. Methods: In this study, we integrated two large mRNA expression and protein abundance datasets (BIKE, n = 126; MaasHPS, n = 43) from human atherosclerotic carotid artery plaque to reconstruct a genome-scale metabolic network (GEM). Next, the GEM findings were linked to metabolomics data from MaasHPS, providing a comprehensive overview of metabolic changes in human plaque. Results: Our study identified significant changes in lipid, cholesterol, and inositol metabolism, along with altered lysosomal lytic activity and increased inflammatory activity, in unstable plaques with intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH+) compared to non-hemorrhaged (IPH−) plaques. Moreover, topological analysis of this network model revealed that the conversion of glutamine to glutamate and their flux between the cytoplasm and mitochondria were notably compromised in hemorrhaged plaques, with a significant reduction in overall glutamate levels in IPH+ plaques. Additionally, reduced glutamate availability was associated with an increased presence of macrophages and a pro-inflammatory phenotype in IPH+ plaques, suggesting an inflammation-prone microenvironment. Conclusions: This study is the first to establish a robust and comprehensive GEM for atherosclerotic plaque, providing a valuable resource for understanding plaque metabolism. The utility of this GEM was illustrated by its ability to reliably predict dysregulation in the cholesterol hydroxylation, inositol metabolism, and the glutamine/glutamate pathway in rupture-prone hemorrhaged plaques, a finding that may pave the way to new diagnostic or therapeutic measures.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature , 2024. Vol. 23, no 1, article id 240
Keywords [en]
Atherosclerosis, Genome-scale metabolic network, Macrophage, Metabolomics, Plaque rupture
National Category
Cell and Molecular Biology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-350674DOI: 10.1186/s12933-024-02339-3ISI: 001264786000003PubMedID: 38978031Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85198120139OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-350674DiVA, id: diva2:1884640
Note
QC 20240719
2024-07-172024-07-172024-08-20Bibliographically approved