Oxysterols, oxidized derivatives of
cholesterol found in
LDL and
atherosclerotic plaques, trigger several
biological responses involved in the initiation and progression of
atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction, which occurs when vascular homeostasis is altered, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of several
metabolic diseases. The contribution of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress to endothelial disfunction is a relatively recent area of investigation. There is a well-established link between
LDL oxidation and ER stress but the role played by specific products of
lipid oxidation into this interaction is still to be defined. The present study shows that
secosterol-B (SEC-B), 3β-hydroxy-5β-hydroxy-B-norcholestane-6βcarboxaldehyde, a
cholesterol autoxidation product recently identified in the
atherosclerotic plaque, is able to induce ER stress in HUVEC cells, as revealed by significant expansion and change of structure. At low doses, i.e. 1 and 5 μM, cells try to cope with this stress by activating autophagy and the
ubiquitin proteasome system in the attempt to restore ER function. However, at higher doses, i.e. 20 μM, cell apoptosis occurs in a pathway that involves early phosphorylation of eIF2α and
NF-kB activation, suggesting that the adaptive program fails and the cell activates the apoptotic program. These findings provide additional insight about the role of
oxysterols in endothelial dysfunction and its potential involvement in atherosclerotic pathophysiology.