Macrophage plasma membrane chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan binds oxidized low-density lipoprotein

Lipoprotein interactions with macrophage proteoglycans (PGs) is believed to play an important role in the cellular uptake of lipoproteins and in macrophage cholesterol accumulation. Recently, we have shown the participation of macrophage plasma membrane glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the cellular uptake of oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL). The aim of the present study was to identify the specific cell surface proteoglycans involved in this interaction. J-774 A.1 macrophage-like cell line plasma membrane proteoglycans were isolated by anion exchange chromatography from cells that were prelabeled with [35S]sodium sulfate. Using Sepharose 6B chromatography, cell surface major proteoglycans were identified as chondroitin sulfate (CS) proteoglycans (77%) and heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans (23%). Binding rates of these 35S-labeled proteoglycans to Ox-LDL and to native LDL were analyzed by their ability to bind lipoproteins coupled to a CnBr-activated Sepharose CL-4B chromatography. Of the total labeled cell surface proteoglycans added to the column, 57% were bound to the Sepharose-coupled Ox-LDL, whereas 73% of the cell surface proteoglycans were bound to the Sepharose-coupled native LDL. Binding of the plasma membrane macrophage 35S-labeled proteoglycans to Ox-LDL was inhibited by adding increasing concentrations of non-labeled chondroitin sulfate, or by pretreatment of the 35S-labeled proteoglycans fraction with chondroitinase ABC. In contrast, neither the addition of non-labeled heparan sulfate, nor pretreatment of the labeled proteoglycans fraction with heparinase III, had any significant effect on proteoglycan binding to Ox-LDL. These findings were further supported by using mutant cells characterized by specific glycosaminoglycan deficiencies. Ox-LDL binding and degradation by mutant 745 CHO cells which are characterized by a deficiency in both heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate, was decreased by 28 and 27% respectively, compared to the binding of Ox-LDL to the wild-type CHO cells. Ox-LDL binding and degradation by mutant 677 CHO cells, which lack heparan sulfate but have increased levels of chondroitin sulfate, however, was found to be increased by 29 and 19%, respectively, compared to Ox-LDL binding to the wild-type CHO cells. Finally, analysis of the cell surface proteoglycans in macrophages that were subjected to oxidative stress, by their preincubation with angiotensin II, exhibited a 51-59% increase in their cell surface proteoglycan content, with a major effect on chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. The present study thus demonstrated that Ox-LDL can specifically bind to macrophage surface chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, and the macrophage content of this proteoglycan is increased under oxidative stress. The interaction between macrophage chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans and Ox-LDL can contribute to enhanced uptake of Ox-LDL with the formation of cholesterol-loaded foam cells, and accelerated atherosclerosis.