T cell exosomes induce cholesterol accumulation in human monocytes via phosphatidylserine receptor

Activated T lymphocytes release vesicles, termed exosomes, enriched in cholesterol and exposing phosphatidylserine (PS) at their outer membrane leaflet. Although CD4(+) activated T lymphocytes infiltrate an atherosclerotic plaque, the effects of T cell exosomes on the atheroma-associated cells are not known. We report here that exosomes isolated from the supernatants of activated human CD4(+) T cells enhance cholesterol accumulation in cultured human monocytes and THP-1 cells. Lipid droplets found in the cytosol of exosome-treated monocytes contained both cholesterol ester and free cholesterol. Anti-phosphatidylserine receptor antibodies recognized surface protein on the monocyte plasma membrane and prevented exosome-induced cholesterol accumulation, indicating that exosome internalization is mediated via endogenous phosphatidylserine receptor. The production of proinflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha enhanced in parallel with monocyte cholesterol accumulation. Our data strongly indicate that exosomes released by activated T cells may represent a powerful, previously unknown, atherogenic factor.