Dynamic metabolism of endothelial triglycerides protects against atherosclerosis

Blood vessels are continually exposed to circulating lipids and elevations of ApoB containing lipoproteins cause atherosclerosis. Lipoprotein metabolism is highly regulated by lipolysis, largely at the level of the capillary endothelium lining metabolically active tissues. How large blood vessels, the site of atherosclerotic vascular disease, regulate the flux of fatty acids (FA) into triglyceride (TG) rich lipid droplets (LD) is not known. Here, we show that deletion of the enzyme, adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) in the endothelium, leads to neutral lipid accumulation in vessels and impairs endothelial dependent vascular tone and nitric oxide synthesis to promote endothelial dysfunction. Mechanistically, the loss of ATGL leads to endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced inflammation, thereby promoting EC dysfunction. Consistent with this mechanism, deletion of endothelial ATGL markedly increases lesion size in a model of atherosclerosis. Together, these data demonstrate that the dynamics of FA flux through LD impacts EC homeostasis and consequently large vessel function during normal physiology and in a chronic disease state Comparative gene expression of mouse lung endothelial cells isolated from control (ATGL f/f) and endothelial specific ATGL knock out mice (ATGL ECKO) under basal condition. Cells are immortalized.