Effect of TLR4 activation on endothelium adhesion function and atorvastatin intervention

AIM：To investigate the modulation of LOX-1 and monocyte-endothelium adhesion by TLR4 activation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs),and explore LOX-1’s role in mediating monocyte-endothelium adhesion,and the effect of atorvastatin.METHODS：TLR4 and LOX-1 mRNA were measured by RT-PCR.The expression percentage of TLR4 and LOX-1 positive cells were detected by flow cytometry.The adhesive percentage between monocytes and HUVECs were determined by counting.RESULTS：Incubation by LPS (1 mg/L) for 24 hours upregulated TLR4,LOX-1 mRNA and protein expression in HUVECs，and increased the percentage of monocyte adhesion to endothelium.Pretreatment of cell with anti-LOX-1 partly abolished the increase of monocyte adhesion to endothelium.Atorvastatin (10 μmol/L) inhibited LPS-mediated effects above.CONCLUSION：TLR4 activation upregulates LOX-1 expression and increases monocyte-endothelium adhesion.LOX-1 partly involves in LPS-induced monocyte-endothelium adhesion,atorvastatin may have protective effects on endothelium by inhibiting TLR4 and TLR4-induced LOX-1 expression.