THE ROLE OF GLYCOGEN SYNTHASE KINASE-3α/β IN ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM STRESS AND ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial inflammatory disease of the arterial wall and its clinical manifestations, including myocardial infarction and stroke, are the leading causes of death in western societies. Recent data has suggested that disruption of protein homeostasis in a cell's endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a condition known as ER stress, is associated with the progression of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, signaling by the serine/threonine kinase glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3α/β mediates pro-atherogenic processes. This thesis examines the role of ER stress and GSK3α/β signaling in atherosclerosis. Initially, three apolipoprotein-E deficient (ApoE-/-) mouse models of accelerated atherosclerosis were established. Relative to ApoE-/- mice fed a chow diet, pro-atherogenic conditions promoted hepatic steatosis, atherosclerosis, ER stress and GSK3β activity. A subset of mice from each group were given the GSK3α/β inhibitor valproate. Valproate supplementation suppressed hepatic steatosis, atherosclerosis and GSK3β activity in each mouse model without altering ER stress levels. This study revealed a role for ER stress and GSK3α/β in multiple murine models of atherosclerosis. Next, we investigated ER stress and GSK3α/β signaling in macrophage foam cell formation. In macrophages, ER stress induced GSK3α/β activity in a protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) dependent manor. GSK3α/β inhibition attenuated ER stress induced lipid accumulation and the expression of distal components of the PERK pathway. Overexpression of constitutively active GSK3β induced foam cell formation. In mice, valproate supplementation attenuated PERK signaling in peritoneal macrophages and macrophages within atherosclerotic lesions. Together, these results point to GSK3α/β being a downstream component of the PERK pathway and that PERK-GSK3α/β signaling mediates ER stress induced foam cell formation. Lastly, we investigated the tissue and homolog specific functions of GSK3α and GSK3β in atherosclerosis. In high fat diet (HFD) fed low-density lipoprotein receptor deficient (LDLR-/-) mice, deletion of GSK3α or GSK3β in hepatocytes did not alter liver lipid content or atherosclerosis. Myeloid cell deletion of GSK3α, but not GSK3β, attenuated HFD induced atherosclerosis. Mechanistically, deletion of GSK3α in macrophages promotes the anti-atherogenic M2 macrophage phenotype by modulating signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3 and STAT6 phosphorylation and activation. Together, the data presented in this thesis suggest; 1) GSK3α/β inhibition attenuates atherosclerosis in multiple mouse models, 2) PERK-GSK3α/β signaling regulates macrophage foam cell formation and 3) myeloid cell GSK3α mediates atherosclerosis and macrophage phenotype.