Stroke-induced hexokinase 2 in circulating monocytes exacerbates vascular inflammation and atheroprogression

Stroke accelerates inflammatory monocyte recruitment to the endothelium and consequent atheroprogression via high-mobility group box 1-receptor for advanced glycation end products signaling. Notably, Hmgb1 interacts with multiple toll-like receptors (TLRs) and promotes TLR4-mediated proinflammatory myeloid cell activation. Therefore, TLR-associated mechanism(s) within monocytes may play a role in Hmgb1-driven poststroke atheroprogression.

We aimed to elucidate the TLR-associated mechanism(s) within monocytes that contribute to stroke-induced exacerbation of atherosclerotic disease.

A weighted gene coexpression network analysis on the whole blood transcriptomes of stroke model mice identified hexokinase 2 (HK2) as a key gene associated with TLR signaling in ischemic stroke. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of monocyte HK2 levels in patients with ischemic stroke patients. We performed in vitro and in vivo studies using high-cholesterol diet-fed myeloid-specific Hk2-null ApoE^-/- (ApoE^-/-;Hk2^ΔMφ) mice and ApoE^-/-;Hk2^fl/fl controls.

We found markedly higher monocyte HK2 levels in patients with ischemic stroke patients during the acute and subacute phases poststroke. Similarly, stroke model mice displayed a profound increase in monocyte Hk2 levels. Using aortas and aortic valve samples collected from high-cholesterol diet-fed ApoE^-/-;Hk2^ΔMφ mice and ApoE^-/-;Hk2^fl/fl controls, we found that stroke-induced monocyte Hk2 upregulation enhanced poststroke atheroprogression and inflammatory monocyte recruitment to the endothelium. Stroke-induced monocyte Hk2 upregulation induced inflammatory monocyte activation, systemic inflammation, and atheroprogression via Il-1β. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that stroke-induced monocyte Hk2 upregulation was dependent upon Hmgb1-driven p38-dependent hypoxia-inducible factor-1α stabilization.

Stroke-induced monocyte Hk2 upregulation is a key mechanism underlying poststroke vascular inflammation and atheroprogression.