Effects of PXR activation on the macrophage transcriptome

Purpose: To explore the role of PXR signaling in regulating macrophage transcriptome related to atherogenesis Methods: Peritoneal macrophages were isolated from LDLR knockout mice with myeloid specific PXR deficiency (PXRΔMyeLDLR-/-) and their littermates (PXRF/FLDLR-/-). Then the macrophages were treated with a PXR ligand PCN or DMSO control for 12 hr. Total RNA was extracted for RNAseq Results: PCN-mediated PXR activation induced 439 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with false discovery rate (FDR) < 5% and fold change >1.5 in control macrophages. By contrast, PCN only induced 38 DEFs in PXR-deficient macrophages. Conclusions: These results indicate that PXR signaling may affect many genes in macrophages related atherosclerosis development. Macrophagic mRNA profiles of control and PXR-deficient macrophages after 12-hr treatment of PXR ligand PCN