7-Ketocholesterol and 5,6-secosterol induce human endothelial cell dysfunction by differential mechanisms

7-Ketocholesterol and 5,6-secosterol are cholesterol autoxidation products generated under oxidative stress by two distinct mechanisms. They are present in atherosclerotic plaques and are candidate players in the disease initiation and progression. While 7-ketocholesterol affects at cellular level, in particular apoptosis, are well known and reported on diverse cell lines, 5,6-secosterol is a recently discovered oxys- terol with relatively few reports on the potential to affect endothelial cell functions. Endothelial cells have a central role in cardiovascular disease as they provide the barrier between blood and the vessel wall where atherosclerosis starts and progresses. Insults to endothelial cells provoke their dysfunction favoring pro-atherogenic and pro-thrombotic effects. In the present work, we tested 7-ketocholesterol and 5,6-secosterol on endothelial cells – focusing on apoptosis and the associated mitochondrial/lysosome alterations – and on endothelial function using the in vitro model of arterial relaxation of aortic rings. Our data provide evidence that 7-ketocholesterol and 5,6-secosterol are efficient instigators of apoptosis, which for 5,6-secosterol is associated to PKC and p53 up-regulation. In addition 5,6-secosterol is a potent inhibitor of endothelial-dependent arterial relaxation through PKC-dependent mechanisms. This may contribute to pro-atherogenic and pro-thrombotic mechanisms of 5,6-secosterol and highlights the role of cholesterol autoxidation in cardiovascular disease.