Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 79 (2), 159-167 (1999)


Effects of NTE-122, a Novel Acyl-CoA:Cholesterol Acyltransferase Inhibitor, on Cholesterol Esterification and High-Density Lipoprotein-Induced Cholesterol Efflux in Macrophages

Yukimasa Azuma, Takashi Kawasaki, Kiyohito Ikemoto, Katsutoshi Ohno, Toshihiro Yamada, Masahiro Yamasaki and Yoichi Nobuhara


Central Research Institute, Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd., 2247, Noji, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-0055, Japan

Abstract: We investigated the effects of a novel acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) inhibitor, NTE-122 (trans-1,4-bis[[1-cyclohexyl-3-(4-dimethylamino phenyl)

ureido]methyl]cyclohexane), on ACAT activities in macrophages originating from several species and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-induced cholesterol efflux in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-treated THP-1 cells. NTE-122 inhibited cell-free ACAT activities in human PMA-treated THP-1 cells and mouse J774.1 cells with IC50 values of 0.88 and 360 nM, respectively. NTE-122 competively inhibited the ACAT activity in PMA-treated THP-1 cells. NTE-122 also inhibited cellular ACAT activities in PMA-treated THP-1 cells, rat peritoneal macrophages and J774.1 cells with IC50 values of 3.5, 84 and 6800 nM, respectively. Furthermore, NTE-122 prevented cholesterol accumulation in PMA-treated THP-1 cells incubated with acetylated low density lipoprotein, simultaneously with HDL, while it caused accumulation of a significant amount of free cholesterol in the absence and even in the presence of HDL. NTE-122 also enhanced HDL-induced cholesterol efflux from established foam cells converted from PMA-treated THP-1 cells. These results suggest that NTE-122, capable of inhibiting macrophage ACAT activity in humans more strongly than those in the other species, exhibits anti-atherogenic effects by preventing the foam cell formation and enhancing the foam cell regression in humans.

Keywords: NTE-122, Acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) inhibitor, Macrophage, Cholesterol accumulation, Cholesterol efflux


Copyright© The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1999

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