This study aims to investigate the impact of
hepatocyte nuclear factor 1β (HNF1b) on macrophage
sortilin-mediated lipid metabolism and aortic
atherosclerosis and explore the role of the
flavone of Polygonatum odoratum (PAOA-
flavone)-promoted small
ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) modification in the atheroprotective efficacy of HNF1b. HNF1b was predicted to be a transcriptional regulator of
sortilin expression via bioinformatics, dual-
luciferase reporter gene assay, and
chromatin immunoprecipitation. HNF1b overexpression decreased
sortilin expression and cellular
lipid contents in THP-1 macrophages, leading to a depression in
atherosclerotic plaque formation in
low-density lipoprotein (
LDL) receptor-deficient (LDLR-/-) mice. Multiple SUMO1-modified sites were identified on the HNF1b
protein and co-immunoprecipitation confirmed its SUMO1 modification. The SUMOylation of HNF1b
protein enhanced the HNF1b-inhibited effect on
sortilin expression and reduced
lipid contents in macrophages. PAOA-
flavone treatment promoted SUMO-activating
enzyme subunit 1 (SAE1) expression and SAE1-catalyzed SUMOylation of the HNF1b
protein, which prevented
sortilin-mediated
lipid accumulation in macrophages and the formation of
atherosclerotic plaques in
apolipoprotein E-deficient (
ApoE-/-) mice. Interference with SAE1 abrogated the improvement in lipid metabolism in macrophage cells and atheroprotective efficacy in vivo upon PAOA-
flavone administration. In summary, HNF1b transcriptionally suppressed
sortilin expression and macrophage
lipid accumulation to inhibit aortic
lipid deposition and the development of
atherosclerosis. This anti-atherosclerotic effect was enhanced by PAOA-
flavone-facilitated, SAE1-catalyzed SUMOylation of the HNF1b
protein.