Abstract
Epidemiology has associated fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure with an increased cardiovascular risk. However, the underlying mechanism, particularly from the liver perspective, remains unclear. Here, the influence of chronic PM2.5 exposure on cardiovascular risk in mice fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet (HFCD) was studied by using a real-world PM2.5 exposure system. Results showed that PM2.5 exposure elevated the serum levels of nonhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) in HFCD-fed mice, demonstrating increased cardiovascular risk. To investigate the molecular mechanism, lipidomics and metabolomics analyses were conducted and revealed that PM2.5 exposure enhanced lipid accumulation and disturbed purine metabolism and glutathione metabolism in the liver of HFCD-fed mice, contributing to the elevated non-HDL-C levels and intensified oxidative stress. Moreover, PM2.5 exposure increased total cholesterol levels by upregulating Hmgcr expression and downregulating Cyp7a1 expression in the livers of HFCD-fed mice. The HDL-C level was reduced by inhibiting the hepatic Abca1 and Abcg1 expression and decreasing the levels of ApoA-I and LCAT. Additionally, the PM2.5-induced pro-oxidative environment impeded the oxLDL clearance and further triggered inflammation, in turn exacerbating oxidative stress and oxLDL production. This study demonstrated a synergy of PM2.5 and HFCD on cardiovascular risk and illuminated the molecular mechanism in PM2.5-susceptible populations.