Role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the regulation of SREBP activation by oxidized phospholipids

Oxidized-1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (Ox-PAPC), found in atherosclerotic lesions and other sites of chronic inflammation, activates endothelial cells (EC) to synthesize chemotactic factors, such as interleukin (IL)-8. Previously, we demonstrated that the sustained induction of IL-8 transcription by Ox-PAPC was mediated through the activation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein ( SREBP). We now present evidence for the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase ( eNOS) in the activation of SREBP by Ox-PAPC. Ox-PAPC treatment of EC induced a dose- and time-dependent activation of eNOS, as measured by phosphorylation of serine 1177, dephosphorylation of threonine 495, and the conversion of L-arginine to L-citrulline. Activation of eNOS by Ox-PAPC was regulated through a phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt-mediated mechanism. These studies also demonstrated that pretreatment of EC with NOS inhibitor, N-omega-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME), significantly inhibited Ox-PAPC induced IL-8 synthesis. Because SREBP activation had been previously shown to regulate IL-8 transcription by Ox-PAPC, we examined the effects of L-NAME on Ox-PAPC-induced SREBP activation. Our data demonstrated that Ox-PAPC-induced SREBP activation and expression of SREBP target genes were significantly reduced by pretreatment with L-NAME. Interestingly, treatment of EC with NO donor, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, did not activate SREBP, suggesting that NO alone was not sufficient for SREBP activation. Rather, our findings indicated that superoxide (O-2(center dot-)), in combination with NO, regulated SREBP activation by Ox-PAPC. We found that Ox-PAPC treatment generated O-2(center dot-) through an eNOS-mediated mechanism and that mercaptoethylguanidine, a peroxynitrite scavenger, reduced SREBP activation by Ox-PAPC. Taken together, these findings propose a novel role for eNOS in the activation of SREBP and SREBP-mediated inflammatory processes.