Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Ameliorates Atherosclerosis by Modulating Regulatory T Cells

Geun-Hyung Kang; Sujin Lee; Da Bin Choi; Dasom Shin; Jahee Kim; HyeJin Yang; Hyunsu Bae

doi:10.3390/toxins12100609

Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Ameliorates Atherosclerosis by Modulating Regulatory T Cells

Toxins (Basel). 2020 Sep 23;12(10):609. doi: 10.3390/toxins12100609.

Authors

Geun-Hyung Kang¹, Sujin Lee¹, Da Bin Choi¹, Dasom Shin¹, Jahee Kim¹, HyeJin Yang¹, Hyunsu Bae¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26-6 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdamoon-gu, Seoul 02453, Korea.

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by lipids and calcareous accumulations in the vascular wall due to an inflammatory reaction. Recent reports have demonstrated that regulatory T (Treg) cells have an important role as a new treatment for atherosclerosis. This study suggests that bee venom phospholipase A2 (bvPLA2) may be a potential therapeutic agent in atherosclerosis by inducing Treg cells. We examined the effects of bvPLA2 on atherosclerosis using ApoE^-/- and ApoE^-/-/Foxp3^DTR mice. In this study, bvPLA2 increased Treg cells, followed by a decrease in lipid accumulation in the aorta and aortic valve and the formation of foam cells. Importantly, the effect of bvPLA2 was found to depend on Treg cells. This study suggests that bvPLA2 can be a potential therapeutic agent for atherosclerosis.

Keywords: PLA2; Tregs; atherosclerosis; bee venom; phospholipase A2.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Aorta / drug effects*
Aorta / immunology
Aorta / metabolism
Aorta / pathology
Aortic Diseases / immunology
Aortic Diseases / metabolism
Aortic Diseases / pathology
Aortic Diseases / prevention & control*
Atherosclerosis / immunology
Atherosclerosis / metabolism
Atherosclerosis / pathology
Atherosclerosis / prevention & control*
Bee Venoms / enzymology*
Cytokines / metabolism
Diet, High-Fat
Disease Models, Animal
Foam Cells / drug effects
Foam Cells / metabolism
Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
Insect Proteins / isolation & purification
Insect Proteins / pharmacology*
Lipid Metabolism / drug effects
Male
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout, ApoE
Phospholipases A2 / isolation & purification
Phospholipases A2 / pharmacology*
Plaque, Atherosclerotic
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / drug effects*
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism

Substances

Bee Venoms
Cytokines
Forkhead Transcription Factors
Foxp3 protein, mouse
Insect Proteins
Phospholipases A2