A possible role for proinflammatory activation via cGAS-STING pathway in atherosclerosis induced by accumulation of DNA double-strand breaks

DNA damage contributes to atherosclerosis. However, causative links between DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and atherosclerosis have yet to be established. Here, we investigated the role of DSBs in atherosclerosis using mice and vascular cells deficient in Ku80, a DSB repair protein. After 4 weeks of a high-fat diet, Ku80-deficient apolipoprotein E knockout mice ( Ku80 +/− ApoE −/− ) displayed increased plaque size and DSBs in the aorta compared to those of ApoE −/− control. In the preatherosclerotic stages (two-week high-fat diet), the plaque size was similar in both the Ku80 +/− ApoE −/− and ApoE −/− control mice, but the number of DSBs and mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and MCP-1 were significantly increased in the Ku80 +/− ApoE −/− aortas. We further investigated molecular links between DSBs and inflammatory responses using vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from Ku80 wild-type and Ku80 +/− mice. The Ku80 +/− cells displayed senescent features and elevated levels of inflammatory cytokine mRNAs. Moreover, the cytosolic DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway was activated in the Ku80 +/− cells. Inhibiting the cGAS-STING pathway reduced IL-6 mRNA level. Notably, interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), a downstream effector of the cGAS-STING pathway, was activated, and the depletion of IRF3 also reduced IL-6 mRNA levels in the Ku80 +/− cells. Finally, DSBs accumulation in normal cells also activated the cGAS-STING-IRF3 pathway. In addition, cGAS inhibition attenuated DNA damage-induced IL-6 expression and cellular senescence in these cells. These results suggest that DSBs accumulation promoted atherosclerosis by upregulating proinflammatory responses and cellular senescence via the cGAS-STING (-IRF3) pathway.