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Updated: May 14, 2026
Quantification of Monocyte Transmigration and Foam Cell Formation from Individuals with Chronic Inflammatory Conditions
Published on: October 17, 2017
Expanded granulocyte/monocyte compartment in myeloid-specific triple FoxO knockout increases oxidative stress and
Kyoichiro Tsuchiya1, Marit Westerterp, Andrew J Murphy
1Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, 1150 St Nicholas Ave, Russ Berrie Pavilion Room 238, NY 10032, USA.
Rationale:
Increased neutrophil and monocyte counts are often associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, but their relationship to insulin sensitivity is unknown.
Objective:
To investigate the contribution of forkhead transcription factors (FoxO) in myeloid cells to neutrophil and monocyte counts, atherosclerosis, and systemic insulin sensitivity.
Methods And Results:
Genetic ablation of the 3 genes encoding FoxO isoforms 1, 3a, and 4, in myeloid cells resulted in an expansion of the granulocyte/monocyte progenitor compartment and was associated with increased atherosclerotic lesion formation in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice. In vivo and ex vivo studies indicate that FoxO ablation in myeloid cells increased generation of reactive oxygen species. Accordingly, treatment with the antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine reversed the phenotype, normalizing atherosclerosis.
Conclusions:
Our data indicate that myeloid cell proliferation and oxidative stress can be modulated via the FoxO branch of insulin receptor signaling, highlighting a heretofore-unknown link between insulin sensitivity and leukocytosis that can affect the predisposition to atherosclerosis.
