Retinoic Acid Receptor-Mediated Induction of ABCA1 in Macrophages

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Abstract
ABCA1, the mutant molecule in Tangier Disease, mediates efflux of cellular cholesterol to apoA-I and is induced by liver X receptor (LXR)/retinoid X receptor (RXR) transcription factors. Retinoic acid receptor (RAR) activators (all-trans-retinoic acid [ATRA] and TTNPB) were found to increase ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1) mRNA and protein in macrophages. In cellular cotransfection assays, RARγ/RXR activated the human ABCA1 promoter, via the same direct repeat 4 (DR4) promoter element as LXR/RXR. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis in macrophages confirmed the binding of RARγ/RXR to the ABCA1 promoter DR4 element in the presence of ATRA, with weaker binding of RARα/RXR, and no binding of RARβ/RXR. However, in macrophages from RARγ−/− mice, TTNPB still induced ABCA1, in association with marked upregulation of RARα, suggesting that high levels of RARα can compensate for the absence of RARγ. Dose-response experiments with ATRA in mouse primary macrophages showed that other LXR target genes were weakly induced (ABCG1 and SREBP-1c) or not induced (apoE and LXRα). The more specific RAR activator TTNPB did not induce SREBP-1c in mouse primary macrophages or liver. These studies indicate a direct role of RARγ/RXR in induction of macrophage ABCA1.