The objective of this study was to reveal a novel mechanism underlying the progression of atherosclerosis (AS) associated with endothelial cells (ECs) and neutrophils. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) were used to observe the morphology and particle size of isolated exosomes. Western blotting was applied to examine exosomal markers, while the expression of metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The production of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. Circulating neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were represented by myeloperoxidase (MPO)-DNA complexes. NETs formation was assessed using immunofluorescence microscopy. Atherosclerotic lesion development was measured by Oil Red O (ORO) staining. In the results, MALAT1 expression was increased in exosomes extracted from oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). When co-cultured with human neutrophils, exosomes derived from ox-LDL-treated HUVECs were revealed to promote NETs formation, which was mediated by exosomal MALAT1. Furthermore, ox-LDL-treated HUVECs-derived exosomes were demonstrated to trigger hyperlipidemia, inflammatory response and NETs release in a mouse model of AS. In conclusion, exosomal MALAT1 derived from ox-LDL-treated ECs initiated NETs formation, which in turn deteriorated AS.
Keywords: MALAT1; atherosclerosis; endothelial cells; neutrophil extracellular traps; neutrophils.