Retinol-binding protein 7 is an endothelium-specific PPAR γ cofactor mediating an antioxidant response through adiponectin

JCI Insight. 2017 Mar 23;2(6):e91738. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.91738.

Abstract

Impaired PPARγ activity in endothelial cells causes oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction which causes a predisposition to hypertension, but the identity of key PPARγ target genes that protect the endothelium remain unclear. Retinol-binding protein 7 (RBP7) is a PPARγ target gene that is essentially endothelium specific. Whereas RBP7-deficient mice exhibit normal endothelial function at baseline, they exhibit severe endothelial dysfunction in response to cardiovascular stressors, including high-fat diet and subpressor angiotensin II. Endothelial dysfunction was not due to differences in weight gain, impaired glucose homeostasis, or hepatosteatosis, but occurred through an oxidative stress-dependent mechanism which can be rescued by scavengers of superoxide. RNA sequencing revealed that RBP7 was required to mediate induction of a subset of PPARγ target genes by rosiglitazone in the endothelium including adiponectin. Adiponectin was selectively induced in the endothelium of control mice by high-fat diet and rosiglitazone, whereas RBP7 deficiency abolished this induction. Adiponectin inhibition caused endothelial dysfunction in control vessels, whereas adiponectin treatment of RBP7-deficient vessels improved endothelium-dependent relaxation and reduced oxidative stress. We conclude that RBP7 is required to mediate the protective effects of PPARγ in the endothelium through adiponectin, and RBP7 is an endothelium-specific PPARγ target and regulator of PPARγ activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiponectin / genetics
  • Adiponectin / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / metabolism*
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Endothelium, Vascular / metabolism*
  • Endothelium, Vascular / physiopathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Oxidative Stress
  • PPAR gamma / genetics
  • PPAR gamma / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular / genetics
  • Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular / metabolism*

Substances

  • Adiponectin
  • Adipoq protein, mouse
  • Antioxidants
  • PPAR gamma
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Rbp7 protein, mouse
  • Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular