miR-33a Expression Attenuates ABCA1-Dependent Cholesterol Efflux and Promotes Macrophage-Like Cell Transdifferentiation in Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

<div>Proatherogenic model of VSMC miR-33a expression: (a) Expression of miR-33a-5p/3p in VSMC silences ABCA1 which allows cholesterol levels to accumulate in VSMC and prevents excess intracellular cholesterol to be removed via apoAI-mediated cholesterol efflux, triggering VSMC-to-MLC transdifferentiation. (b) MiR-33a ablation in VSMC hinders miR-33a-mediated suppression of ABCA1, allowing robust ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux to remove high levels of cellular cholesterol, thereby protecting VSMC from MLC phenotype switching and promoting VSMC restoration upon apoAI exposure.</div>

Journal of Lipids

fig6

Figure 6

Figure 6: miR-33a Expression Attenuates ABCA1-Dependent Cholesterol Efflux and Promotes Macrophage-Like Cell Transdifferentiation in Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells 

Figure 6 | miR-33a Expression Attenuates ABCA1-Dependent Cholesterol Efflux and Promotes Macrophage-Like Cell Transdifferentiation in Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells 