PPARδ-mediated antiinflammatory mechanisms inhibit angiotensin II-accelerated atherosclerosis

Activation of the nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) has been shown to improve insulin resistance, adiposity, and plasma HDL levels. However, its antiatherogenic role remains controversial. Here we report atheroprotective effects of PPARδ activation in a model of angiotensin II (AngII)-accelerated atherosclerosis, characterized by increased vascular inflammation related to repression of an antiinflammatory corepressor, B cell lymphoma-6 (Bcl-6), and the regulators of G protein-coupled signaling (RGS) proteins RGS4 and RGS5. In this model, administration of the PPARδ agonist GW0742 (1 or 10 mg/kg) substantially attenuated AngII-accelerated atherosclerosis without altering blood pressure and increased vascular expression of Bcl-6, RGS4, and RGS5, which was associated with suppression of inflammatory and atherogenic gene expression in the artery. In vitro studies demonstrated similar changes in AngII-treated macrophages: PPARδ activation increased both total and free Bcl-6 levels and inhibited AngII activation of MAP kinases, p38, and ERK1/2. These studies uncover crucial proinflammatory mechanisms of AngII and highlight actions of PPARδ activation to inhibit AngII signaling, which is atheroprotective.