Oxidized low-density lipoproteins impair the pro-atherosclerotic effect of granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor-producing T helper cells on macrophages.

T cells contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. However, the presence and function of granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-producing T helper (ThGM) cells in atherosclerosis development is unknown. This study aims to characterize the phenotype and function of ThGM cells in experimental atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis was induced by feeding apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-/- ) mice with a high-fat diet. Aortic ThGM cells were detected and sorted by flow cytometry. The effect of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) on ThGM cells and the impact of ThGM cells on macrophages were evaluated by flow cytometry, quantitative RT-PCR, oxLDL binding/uptake assay, immunoblotting and foam cell formation assay. We found that GM-CSF+ IFN-γ- ThGM cells existed in atherosclerotic aortas. Live ThGM cells were enriched in aortic CD4+ CCR6- CCR8- CXCR3- CCR10+ T cells. Aortic ThGM cells triggered the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) in macrophages. Besides, aortic ThGM cells expressed higher CD69 than other T cells and bound to oxLDL. oxLDL suppressed the cytokine expression in ThGM cells probably via inhibiting the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) signalling. Furthermore, oxLDL alleviated the effect of ThGM cells on inducing macrophages to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and generate foam cells. The nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A (NR4A) members NR4A1 and NR4A2 were involved in the suppressive effect of oxLDL on ThGM cells. Collectively, oxLDL suppressed the supportive effect of ThGM cells on pro-atherosclerotic macrophages.