MDM2-Mediated Ubiquitination of RXRß Contributes to Mitochondrial Damage and Related Inflammation in Atherosclerosis.

A novel function of retinoid X receptor beta (RXRß) in endothelial cells has been reported by us during the formation of atherosclerosis. Here, we extended the study to explore the cellular mechanisms of RXRß protein stability regulation. In this study, we discovered that murine double minute-2 (MDM2) acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase to target RXRß for degradation. The result showed that MDM2 directly interacted with and regulated RXRß protein stability. MDM2 promoted RXRß poly-ubiquitination and degradation by proteasomes. Moreover, mutated MDM2 RING domain (C464A) or treatment with an MDM2 inhibitor targeting the RING domain of MDM2 lost the ability of MDM2 to regulate RXRß protein expression and ubiquitination. Furthermore, treatment with MDM2 inhibitor alleviated oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced mitochondrial damage, activation of TLR9/NF-κB and NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in endothelial cells. However, all these beneficial effects were reduced by the transfection of RXRß siRNA. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of MDM2 attenuated the development of atherosclerosis and reversed mitochondrial damage and related inflammation in the atherosclerotic process in LDLr-/- mice, along with the increased RXRß protein expression in the aorta. Therefore, our study uncovers a previously unknown ubiquitination pathway and suggests MDM2-mediated RXRß ubiquitination as a new therapeutic target in atherosclerosis.