Sulforaphane inhibits endothelial lipase expression through NF-κB in endothelial cells

Endothelial lipase (EL) is a new member of triacylglycerol lipase family that has been shown to decrease high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels leading to increased risk of atherosclerosis. Its expression is increased during inflammation and by inflammatory cytokines. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a naturally occurring isothiocyanate present in cruciferous vegetables that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Nuclear factor (NF)-κB is one of the molecular targets for SFN-mediated protective effects. Our aim was therefore to assess whether SFN could impact on EL expression via modulation of NF-κB pathway.

Quantitative PCR and Western blot results demonstrated that SFN inhibited tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-mediated induction of EL in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Lentiviral transduction of HUVEC with mutated form of IκB-α (IκBM) as well as silencing of NF-κB subunit p65 using RNA interference revealed that TNF-α-mediated induction of EL is mediated through NF-κB pathway. In addition, a total of five NF-κB binding sites were found in LIPG gene, which encodes EL. SFN inhibited binding of NF-κB to these sites analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). SFN also inhibited TNF-α mediated phosphorylation of IκB kinase (IKK) 1/2 and IκB-α.

Collectively, these results indicate that SFN inhibits EL expression via inhibition of NF-κB which may have a beneficial effect on HDL cholesterol levels.